At 10:19 -0500 3/31/99, [log in to unmask] wrote:

>All of what I have written here is exactly the reason the US DEPT. of
>AGRICULTURE started the official honey bee inspection program so that BY LAW,
>colonies had to be BURNED UP in order to protect non infected colonies.
>Commercial beekeepers HAVE to treat with Terramycin because they just risk an
>entire apiary becoming infected.

:I think Ethyl Bromide and Vikane gas are used as termite fumigants. I
:wonder if these will kill spores.

:Also a few months back I was reading about a radiation sterilizing plant
:that was built in the Riverside Callifornia area. No doubt this would kill
:spores and allow the equipment to be salvaged. I wonder what the cost would
:be.

In Massachusetts the cost of running an entire rack through a gamma cell is
about 400 US dollars (the dose is 1.5 to 2 Megarads).  This will sterilize
about 90 cardboard boxes 24 x 18 x 10 inches in size.  Each box will hold
one hive body, frames, combs, and inner cover.  Or, one super, frames, comb,
bottom board, and outer cover.  Suits, gloves, and tools can also be packed
in.  Cost runs between 5 and 8 US dollars per box (much cheaper than burning
them and buying new).  FDA approves of the procedure, as far as I know.

We use Isomedix, but a Web search or yellow pages will dig up many others.

This year we did not irradiate because we only had 60 boxes signed up.