I have been a proponent of destruction, even though the first hives I
bought when I started beekeeping had AFB and I destroyed them.

Years later, another beekeeper in the area also had AFB and treated and did
not burn his hives. After a few years, he was lax in his treatment. He also
helped another beekeeper who was a commercial pollinator by lending him
hives. You know the rest. The commercial pollinator destroyed his own
infected hives.

All we do when we do not destroy the hives is keep a repository of spores
in the frames and boxes. Since the spores are long lived and we are not,
eventually they might end up with someone else.

Which is exactly what happened to me.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, ME