> A question for you, Bob.  Some beekeepers here use burning sulfur (emits
> sulfur dioxide gas) to keep wax moth at bay.  It has the downside of
> corroding metal buildings.  Is sulfur used at all in your area?

Last time I saw sulfur used  was by a few beekeepers in Florida in the
fifties. Sulfur was used in CC Millers & Langstroth's day. Actually about
the only chemical talked about for comb storage in those days.
Talked about in detail in all the old books.
I would not be surprised if Dee came on and said she still uses sulfur as
she is a walking encyclopedia of the old beeks! Sulfur would be my very last
choice for a comb storage method using a chemical.

>
> Does anyone have information as to why sulfur dioxide isn't used more as a
> comb fumigant?
 cons:
Fire, stinks, stinks up comb and an all around poor method. Many better
choices.
Pros:
cheap and easily available

Done correctly  LEGAL phostoxin gas application does the best job of killing
all pests & eggs in the equipment and is residue free after 24 hours FOR THE 
LARGE COMMERCIAL BEEKEEPER.
 The
big drawback is the area has to remain sealed from entry by outside pests
and if the door is opened and say 10,000 supers are removed when adult moths 
are active then the
building needs gassed again.

The most efficient phostoxin gas storage I have observed was a 150 feet by
45 feet building ( I think the measurements are right but sure they are
close) which had spray foam sprayed around 8 in. deep over the entire
outside. The beekeeper kept between 20 and 30,000 deep honey supers in the
building.
The building was gassed by large gas bottles from the outside but needed
gassed each time the building was opened to remove or place supers in.

Smaller rooms contained recently extracted comb until the number was high
enough to place in the building.

A completely legal approved facility!

bob

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