--- Scot Mc Pherson <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Waldemar,
> When bees hold honey, they produce more wax. This
> wax being produced by afb honey still has some
> measure of afb embedded in it.

Scot,
The AFB spores are consumed during the wax making
process.  An old method for controlling AFB originally
proposed by Schirach in 1769 and later rediscovered,
requires that the bees be shaken into a box in order
that they consume the spores contained in the honey
stomachs.  The 'shake method' involves shaking the
adult bees to canvas placed in front of a box
containing foundation, so that the bees  must crawl
into the hive, where they are restricted from foraging
for 24 hours while they build comb.

This method works because the AFB contaminated honey
in the honey stomach of the transferred bees is
consumed in the process of producing wax for new
combs.  Whereas, if an infected bee is placed on drawn
comb, it will regurgitate the contents of it's honey
stomach along with AFB spores into the drawn cells.
If no drawn comb is available, the bees will consume
the contents of it's honey stomach in order to produce
wax to make more comb.  Consumed AFB spores are
destroyed.



Joe Waggle ~ Derry, PA
Small Cell Beekeeping
‘Bees Gone Wild Apiaries'
http://www.biologicalbeekeeping.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Organicbeekeepers/




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