Hi All
 
Chris mentioned that in some areas it is believed that there is a
link between AFB and soil composition.
 
This is entirely possible. A number of bacterial spore types require
calcium and other ions to enable them to germinate. A calcium rich
soil, and I believe California in places, and the UK over most of it,
has such a soil (is there not an aerial line in Calif. where you have
one type of vegetation, and then a calcium rich soil and another).
 
In these areas, bees collection water would theoretically imbibe
adequate calcium or whaterver mineral is required to cause the spores
to leave the resting phase and become virulent. Another factor is
that possibly spore formation is inhibited by certain environments.
 
This may explain the 'hotspot' theory.
 
It does not however explain why although when people kept european
bees in my country we occasionally had outbreaks of the foulbroods,
we hardly ever see them now??
 
Keep well
 
Garth
 
Garth Cambray           Camdini Apiaries
Grahamstown             Apis mellifera capensis
Eastern Cape Prov.
South Africa
 
Time = Honey
 
After careful consideration, I have decided that if I am ever a V.I.P
the I. may not stand for important.
(rather influential, ignorant, idiotic, intelectual, illadvised etc)