Hello Mike and All,

Mike wrote:

..If it looks like  AFB,smells like AFB,its probably AFB

I agree completely Mike! The PMS I have looked at is as Mike has said. It is
true weak hives and less hygienic hives have a harder time with AFB but ( in
my opinion)  AFB is not *common* in hives dying from PMS and high
infestations of varroa mites.

Unlike many on the list which found Tim's method of only treating the active
AFB disease reasonable I find the method only masks the disease.

 I have seen Tim's AFB method used many times and by some highly respected
beekeepers. Those same beekeepers always seem (to me ) to be talking about
the AFB problem which never seems to go away. My solution to AFB is to
remove all AFB combs to the shop and go through the boxes and decide what to
do with each comb . Some I burn, others I melt the wax and boil the frames
and some I return the the bees. My method involves quite a bit of work but I
feel worth the effort.

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

"Beekeepers were arguing over the best ways to handle AFb a hundred years
ago and I expect they will still be arguing a hundred years from now over
the best way to handle equipment with AFB spores"