Paul: EVERY MAJOR LABORATORY in the entire world has done research to find a
way of killing AFB spores without damaging the bees; and in 75 years NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING has been found.
Terramycin act on the bees exactly as insulin acts on diabetes in humans.
Terramycin will control bees with AFB so they can work and stay alive AS LONG
AS THOSE BEES ARE TREATED TWICE EACH YEAR.  The Bad thing is the spores have
bee PROVEN to live in the wood of hive parts for at least 78 years; and if you
have a colony infected with AFB, surely by next year EVERY colony you have
will be infected as well as the colonies of any other beekeepers within flight
distance.

All of what I have written here is exactly the reason the US DEPT. of
AGRICULTURE started the official honey bee inspection program so that BY LAW,
colonies had to be BURNED UP in order to protect non infected colonies.
Commercial beekeepers HAVE to treat with Terramycin because they just risk an
entire apiary becoming infected.

Some hobbyists do not use Terramycin.  In 66 years, even with over 100+
colonies, I have NEVER used Terramycin, because if I got an infected colony, I
want to know it quickly, so I can destroy it before my other colonies become
infected.

AFB infection has come down from about 25%-30% infected in 1922 when
inspection
from Beltsville Bee Lab was started by my instructor, Dr. James I. Hambleton.
The rate of infection now is about 1.5%, so it is not the big worry it once
was.  Since 1933, when I started keeping bees I have only lost about 10-12
colonies and the last one was about 15 years.

Needless to say, I do not believe in using Terramycin, but rather be as well
trained as a bee inspector or better, that I quickly see any signs of AFB in
any of my 100 colonies.  I wish everybody did the same, particularly since so
many states have reduced or curtailed bee inspection.
                                                                                                George Imirie