On Sun, 9 Aug 2009 14:03:06 -0400, Allen Dick <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>IPM. It works with other pests, Why not AFB?

I think the AFB problem confuses a lot of people who don't have a lot of
experience with it. Basically, if there is no AFB in your area, you don’t
need to use antibiotics (for it) on a regular basis. 

If you are thorough in your inspections, you will be able to detect AFB at a
very early stage where it can be contained with antibiotics. This parallels
our use of antibiotics in people. You don’t use antibiotics on a regular
basis because you think you are going to get an infected hand. If you get
one, you need to stop it very early on, and antibiotics normally do this
quite effectively.

If you ignore an infection, it can quickly reach a point of no return, where
antibiotics may no longer work. In that case, with bees, it’s probably best
to kill the hive and burn or bury it. I think fussing with the bees, the
combs, etc., is a waste of time and money, at this stage. In our human
example, the hand may get gangrenous and require removal. That’s what they
did in the days before antibiotics, and it still happens, no doubt.
Naturally, we don’t kill the patient but they shoot horses, don’t they?

If you keep bees in an area where foulbrood is rampant, like parts of
Florida or California, you may need to use a preventive course in spring,
fall or whenever bees are robbing out weak and dead hives. If you have had a
widespread infection in your outfit or bought bees from someone who did, you
may need to medicate year round. I am not sure it would ever go away under
those circumstances. This not different from what many livestock producers
do. It may be an unfortunate or even ill advised practice, but I am not sure
there is any real proof that it is harmful.

plb

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