Peter Edwards asked " find it interesting that the shook swarm technique
was, as far as I know, developed in the US for AFB.  Is it still used?"

I have used just once, and it was 100% successful...which means little.

I went over 20 years without treatment for AFB, and no symptoms or
disease.  Then I bought some comb, and all hell broke loose.  I burned and
burned.

But I had one yard with no disease until I found a single box with a very
light infection on only a few combs.  But the infection was so new that the
hive was booming with bees.  I removed the box with infection, put a new
box on that stand with 100% foundation, and shook all the bees into that
box.  The foragers, of course, returned to that box.  4-6 weeks later the
box was full of brood, honey and pollen and was disease free!

But I understand that those who have taken a more scientific approach,
involving many more hives, have had some infection appear.

I still do not treat for AFB, and have not seen it in many years.  If I
were to see an another infection under the same circumstances I would not
hesitate to treat it in the same manner.  But with varroa...booming hives
are no longer common.

Lloyd

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