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Subject:
From:
Bob Harrison <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 9 Oct 2003 10:32:19 -0500
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Bob Harrison then wrote:
Burning alone will not control AFB when *out of control*
*UNLESS* you burn all colonies.

This is out of text but was the position at the time. When you have got a
yard of 10-40 hives and half or better are dying with AFB then to be sure
the problem will be solved (and not only prolonged) all hives were burned as
most likely (and from prior USDA experience) through robbing and drifting
bees all hives had  AFB spores and without a drug treatment (which was not
allowed) the rest would soon fall to AFB.

Many beekeepers in desperation wanted to try the Quinby method
(described by Dee)  but laws at the time did not permit the method.


Dee said;
Don't believe this either! Dr Jaycox used to take foul
brood combs to bee meetings and show around.

I have also! New beekeepers need to see first hand AFB to help learn!

I believe you might have a Jaycox book around so will quote from his books.

"Beekeeping in Illinois" was his first book (1969)

Jaycox only quotes Illinois state law in the book on pg. 104. The method
used by Dee (Quinby method) would have been illegal to use in Illinois in
1969.

" Illinois state law REQUIRES the burning of colonies infected with AFB"

Only the top, bottom and hive bodies can be saved after scorching.

"The colony must be KILLED and ALL the CONTENTS of the hive burned,
INCLUDING BEES, COMBS,FRAMES,and HONEY in a pit and the ashes covered
afterward."

The above was the law in every state I have kept bees in. Many beekeepers
used the antique Quinby method which in my opinion prolonged the problem for
other beekeepers.

I asked Steve Tabor a couple  years ago  about his research on finding a bee
which will survive with AFb and Steve told me  he had a hive in  which he
could go and remove AFb at any time.
I found his information interesting but consider such a hive simply a vector
for AFB.

On page 104  Jaycox  states and recommends:

"two medicinal agents that are valuable for prevention of AFB are sulfa and
terramycin."

As the years roll on Dr. Jaycox position changes.

In 1976 he wrote "Beekeeping in the Midwest" ( my favorite)
By then sulfa drugs were turning up in honey so no mention of sulfa in the
book and he dropped the Illinois only about burning and added the below.

from pg. 136:
" most state laws REQUIRE burning of colonies of bees infected with AFB"  so
16 years later burning is STILL the method.

Teramycin is talked about as a preventative but Jaycox STILL recommends
burning for active AFB.

 I have read all of jaycox books several times and can't find one place he
recommends anything but burning for active AFB.

Did he tell you your method is the way to go at a meeting? If so does not
sound like the Jaycox I know.

In his last book "Beekeeping Tips and Topics" published in 1982 Jaycox is
pushing the regular use of  tarramycin in hives (pg. 127) and has this to
say in his chapter on

" The Natural Control of Bee Diseases" (pg. 126)
"AFB seems NOT to fit into natural control , because colonies almost
invariably die when they become infected with bacteria of the disease"

On page 121 Jaycox lashes out at beekeepers using sulfa drugs.

 Wow big change from his early book!

Jaycox said:
" A western beekeeping assn. noted in a recent newsletter that members can
pool their orders and buy sulfa together. What a great way to invite trouble
and to demonstrate a disregard for regulations designed to HELP beekeepers
and to protect their honey. Since writing this I have not received any more
copies of that newsletter"

bob

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