Hello All,
The issue of contaminated wax is a hot topic in private beekeeping circles.

 Many (if not most commercial beekeepers) would like to simply ignore the
problem until the point comes they can not keep bees alive on the comb.

Many point to the fact varroa took out half the commercial hives in the U.S.
in the early nineties when hives were *basically* (in their opinion) on wax
not contaminated with chemicals so the issue is *varroa* and not a
contaminated wax problem (in their opinion).

I point out then that the beekeepers having the most success with varroa
control either are starting with new foundation or have replaced comb on
which prior chemicals have been used.

When the beekeeper is willing to consider the wax contamination message of
Jerry B. as a real *possible cause* of hive death and poor performance then
a tough decision has to be made.

 A decision only a few beekeepers have been willing to make thus far in the
U.S..

The logic of the situation is simple at least to me.

The test for a single wax contamination  can run a couple hundred dollars
(as Lloyd S.  posted). Another chemical test could run the same. There is
not a test for the combination effects on bees.

How many hives does one test? only one? For how many different chemicals?
Each yard? 5-10 in each yard? All the hives you own? each frame?

Get the big picture now? After all the testing is done the solution remains
the same does it not?

Jerry B. ( respected by myself and the industry) believes contaminated comb
is in our beehives and should be rotated out on a regular basis. My
*opinion* also. I would rather spend money on new comb than testing!

Actually in my opinion the LD50 of a chemical  is of little use in our
present scenario. The issue is how much contamination can the bees handle
and thrive.

Once a beekeeper takes the time to look at the situation as a realist.
                                        and
 Listen to the researchers from the bee lab which point to wax contamination
being a factor in todays problems then the only conclusion in my opinion is
to start a comb rotation out of our beehives.

Mine should be completed this spring. Took a few years but I believe will
pay dividends later on.

My bees look the best they have in years. I have seen the lowest amount of
winter deadouts in a decade! 4-5%. I admit in years in which I have wintered
many old queens losses have ran as high as the low twenty percent range.

As Jerry B. has pointed out many times environmental wax contamination
happens. Many large beekeepers will not vary from the beekeeping methods
handed down from generation to generation. Grandpa used to say old comb was
best! Grandpa kept comb 50 years old in the U.S.. As long as the bees were
thriving little thought was given to replacing comb by Grandpa. I have had
Grandpa Beekeeper ask a higher price for his 50 year old pristine comb than
brood nest comb with new comb in the past. Grandpa beekeeper believed in the
beekeeping success of using 30-50 year old brood nest comb.

Jerry Bromenshenk knows exactly what I am talking about above!
Changing Grandpa beekeepers mind about a beekeeping subject  is not easy .

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

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