Hi Chris,
Well, this news ( tm resistance ) really increases the potential risk
from those supers.  Research has shown that all the honey from AFB
infested colonies contains AFB spores so there are very likely spores
in at least some of those supers and they are resistant to tm - the
only approved treatment.  You really need to take some fairly drastic
measures to prevent introducing this disease into your operation.  It
will be expensive now but if you get the resistant AFB spread in your
outfit it will be much more expensive to clean it up later.  I will
try to list some of the possible options for your consideration.

1.  If available in your area you could have the supers disinfected by
treatment in a gamma irradiation facility.  I am not sure how it costs
or if such a facility is located near you but this treatment would
kill the spores in the equipment and combs allowing  you to use all
the equipment without fear of spreading AFB into your outfit.  There
has been some research on this and it does work well and dose
information is available.  Contact your state apiarist for information
on does etc.

2.  If you happen to be in or near a state that has an ethylene oxide
(ETO) treatment available.  Only a few states have these facilities
but again this treatment allows you to kill the AFB spores in the
equipment without destroying the combs.  As far as I know only
Maryland, North Carolina and maybe Maine have such equipment and not
sure if they do as EPA is trying to phase out use of ETO.  Again
contacting your state apairist will be the best source of information
for your area.

3.  Melt down the combs for beeswax, destroy the frames and scorch the
boxes inside ( pretty well ) before using.  Rendering the combs to
recover the wax and selling it is not a problem since research has
shown that AFB spores are either killed or removed by processing the
wax.

4.  Render the combs and treat the frames and boxes in boiling lye to
disinfect the woodenware.  This is a messy and somewhat potentially
dangerous proceedure but it does kill the spores and they wood can be
reused.  In my opnion, however, you are better off replacing the
frames as that way you have new well constructed frames for your
considerable effort otherwise you have used frames for all that time
and effort with an unknown useful lifespan.

5.  Render the wax and destroy everything else.  This is expensive but
you will not introduce this disease into your outfit.  It is also less
labor than any treatment of the woodenware with lye.


Many state aparists have email if you send me your state I will email
you contact information for your state aparist including phone number,
address and email if any.  You really should contact and work with
your state aparist as they will be interested in helping you ensure
this serious disease is cleaned up before it spreads further.

Hope this helps.

blane
*************************************
Blane White
MN Dept of Agriculture
St Paul, MN
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