> I think that I will stick with the situation in the UK - sixty-odd years 
> of a burn policy has resulted in very, very little AFB.  No drugs, no 
> gamma rays, no problem!

True, perhaps, but Britain, AFAIK, have no large scale migratory beekeeping 
nor an agriculture system that depends on it.  Each country is different.

Also, having some challenge from disease ensures that the bees maintain 
defense mechanisms.

Apparently Britain is having some other sorts of problems presently.  Who 
knows if better immunity might have helped.

As for gamma rays, the benefits are mire than merely saving equipment from 
destruction.  Even without the need to sterilize after AFB, the brood boxes 
coming out of sterilization reportedly perform far better in many ways. 
Beekeepers report "Brood patterns like I haven't seen for years".

Burning definitely has its place, but even ignoring the destruction of 
valuable comb and the air pollution it causes, especially where plastic comb 
and hive parts are employed, there are many other downsides.

IMO, burning is soooo yesterday.

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