Robert Mann wrote:

>   I remain astonished that this question of fact is so hard to get
answered.

Robert Post answered:
Our astonishment ... does not describe what is happening
here.

The point was simply this: even with decades of having imported and used
beeswax
foundation (unradurised) out of the USA, SA bees have never been diagnosed
as
having AFB. Thank you.
        ------------------------------------------------------------

I would like to clear up some points which maybe pertinent to the situation.

All bee products and 2nd hand equipment was at one time banned.  Since 1991
this law has been rescinded.  The Agricultural law now requires all bee
produce and 2nd hand equip is irradiated on entry to South Africa.  However,
many who know how to circumvent the law have continued to bring these things
through without "nuking" them. Others just use loop holes.

I personally am not happy with bee produce being irradiated, as I do not
know what changes take place or residual contamination is left in food. All
the articles I've ever read have not been convincing.

Our wax foundation suppliers have been importing or using imported beeswax
for many years.  Much of this wax was never irradiated. It is unknown
whether the wax has had Bacillus spores present in it or not.  Some of us
have speculated that the wax has been contaminated.

In 1996 Prof. Wolfgang Ritter from Germany undertook tests for someone here
in South Africa.  He found bacillus larva in the samples.  This caused a
dispute between our local scientists, but personal chats with Wolfgang
indicate that he believed his results were correct.

Emanating from the above, there are a few of us who speculate that our bees
are AFB tolerant.  I hesitated in writing this, but was encouraged by an
interested party, because people are reckless and I don't want anyone trying
to find out by deliberately feeding some Bacillus to our local bees to find
out.

Maybe food for thought
Eddy Lear
South Africa