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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Lloyd Spear <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 11 Jun 2003 14:01:55 -0400
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Bill Truesdell said "If the commercial beekeepers in NY have high levels of
AFB and do not
burn, it seems to be self evident why they have high levels of AFB. I
pity the hobby beekeeper near any of those commercial yards."

I should be very clear (but I thought I was, previously).  I was taught that
the presence of scale was NOT a reason to burn.  vegetative state was
treated differently, and then frames were supposed to be burned and bees
killed (but I was present when this was not done 'because it was not
widespread and only involved a few cells').

Both myself and two other inspectors were in one yard where I saw scale
everywhere, but no active stage.  One of the other inspectors had a special
title as a 'senior' inspector and his responsibilities included training
others.  No action was taken nor was AFB reported.  This yard was so bad
that later that year the beekeepers abandoned it because even though they
were treating with Terra., they kept finding active stage AFB...an almost
sure sign of resistance.

To Bill's point, I subsequently found active AFB in a hobbyist yard about
1.5 miles away, and Beltsville confirmed it as 'resistant.  If I remember
correctly, we burned three out of six hives owned by the hobbyist!

The inspectors tell us that about 6% of hives in NYS have active AFB, and
that the percentages are about the same for commercial and hobbyist
beekeepers.

Bill, are you SURE that the 2%-3% AFB found in Maine includes situations
where only scale is seen?  Based on what I have seen, I find it hard to
believe that the number could be that low if scale only was included and I
KNOW that just a few years ago clean certificates were given despite the
presence of scale.  Could the 2-3% be only active disease?


Lloyd
Lloyd Spear, Owner Ross Rounds, Inc.
Manufacturers of Ross Rounds Comb
Honey Equipment, Sundance Pollen Traps
and Custom Printer of Sundance Labels.

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