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Subject:
From:
P-O Gustafsson <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 5 Dec 2006 19:16:43 +0700
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From: Bob_Harrison<[log in to unmask]>

 >My own testing which I also reported on BEE-L showed comb on which 
 >bees have crashed from varroa and have displayed parasitic mite 
 >syndrum (PMS) signs will crash from virus with varroa loads below 
 >what is considered by our researchers to be high enough to warrant 
 >treatment the next time a swarm is placed on the PMS comb.

 >I shared on BEE-L about how  one large Florida beekeeper would run 
 >his deadout comb through a bogi uncapper and cut half the comb off 
to >help with virus.

Hello Bob,

Was this clean comb or comb contaminated with cumaphos and/or any 
homemade products? There is no secret that there are other veterinary 
products made for treating animals, that has/is being used against 
varroa.

 > my source said radiation does kill all virus on comb.

No doubt. But are you sure this will help? From info I got virus will 
not survive outside the host cell for long. But so far there don't 
seem to be any proper test done on DWV on that. I got this from 
Ingemar Fries when I asked.

<quote>
What I know regarding persistence of DWV is that in colonies with
serious symptoms and high content of DWV in brood and in adult bees, 
the provable (PCR) level of infection in brood will disappear when 
mites are removed with chemicals. The infection level in adult 
population will not disappear as quickly. No long time studies 
available.</quote>

This would to me indicate that the hives you were referring to were 
affected more from contaminated comb than from virus. I know we talked 
about this recently. But if virus really would survive outside of a 
colony it would affect us badly as we would have to start replacing 
comb at a much higher rate. Costly radiation treatment might not be 
the cure to you friends hives, the bogy approach sounds more 
realistic... and burn the vax cut off! Residues are starting to show 
up here in vax comb returned from foundation producers. Next problem 
might be to check that your foundation supplier has clean vax :-(

And like you I will try some hives on 4,9 mm comb next season. Start 
with a couple of yards, half small and half 5,3 mm cells. It will 
probably take me several years to get it drawn out in the brood nest 
with the short summer we have.

-- 
Regards

P-O Gustafsson, Sweden
http://beeman.se

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