Hi All

Various people have commented about Freeze killing versus pin killing 
for calibrating hygienic behaviour.

Freezing is usually done on a patch of brood that is between 50 mm 
diameter and 75 mm diameter, based on the type of tin can or piece of 
pipe used to contain the liquid nitrogen.

Apart from the edges of the patch the dead larvae are still sealed.

With pin killing, it is usually performed in rosettes of 7 or 19 cells, 
every cell's seal is punctured as is the larva within it.

Surely, as we are looking for information about larva that may be 
compromised in some way, but are still in sealed cells, then we should 
be favouring the freeze killing. To my mind the mere puncturing of the 
capping invalidates pin killing for this purpose.

Liquid nitrogen may frighten some beekeepers, but it is more readily 
obtainable than many think and providing due respect is given to it it 
is no more dangerous to handle than some other substances used in 
beekeeping.


Regards & Best 73s, Dave Cushman, G8MZY
http://melliferabees.net Email: [log in to unmask]
Short FallBack M/c, Build 7.21/2.01
Son of ORAC M/c, Build 5.o1/2.o1

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