>>... greatly diminishes the presence of EFB.  I can't speak of its virulence--if
we don't see it, its virulence is irrelevant.>>>>

This diminishing of EFB seems to be what Kirsty Staiton is referring to. They are typing different strains and some are severe enough that they include examining hive destruction in control programs for EFB.

The reason this jumped out at me is that there are professional beekeepers in this part of the Pacific Northwest talking about changes in local EFB.  In the last year it no longer cleared with improved environmental conditions and good nectar flows as it had previously.  Hopefully there was some unknown variable at play and basic management can keep colonies alive again this year. Only time will tell.

I can't speak from personal experience as I am a newby coming out of my second winter and am not aware of having had a EFB problem.  Other problems, yea.  Learning about honey bees has been, and continues to be, a real education with a long steep learning curve.  And from what I am learning from beekeepers, some with over 40 years experience, it doesn't stop.


Alvin L. Forar
Arlington, WA
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