In reply to Mr. Patton's message to BEE-L of June 8, 1996 <No Subject Given>, I would like to clarify the following points for subscribers: 1. My position with the NZ government is Apicultural Advisory Officer, not "Agricultural" Advisory Officer, as Mr. Patton states. 2. The disease described by Dr. Liu identified in his November 1991 American Bee Journal article is "melanosis", not "melanoius" as Mr. Patton states. 3. The disease "melanosis" was not included in the list of bee diseases present in New Zealand included in my April 19, 1996 posting because Dr. Liu's article did not state that the causitive organism of melanosis had been isolated, either in NZ bees, or in NZ queens introduced into Candian hives. While the title of the article identifies melanosis as a disease, and while Bailey and Ball in their work Honey Bee Pathology (2nd ed) state that "a micro-organism of a primitive type appearing to be transitional between yeasts and fungi has been found in the melanized (blackened) patches of epithelial tissue that surround nurse- and egg-cells of ovaries and the poison sac and rectum in queens", Dr. Liu did not state that the condition he found in some NZ queens was in fact caused by any specific organism. He stated that he found melanization (tissuing blackening) in the queens, but makes no mention of isolating any causative organism causing the melanization. Melanization is a a natural defense of insects against micro-organisms and/or tissue wounds, and can be caused by a number of factors. Melanization has been reported in queen bees in many areas of the world, and in my experience (both in NZ and Canada) can be found most often in aging queens. 4. Mr. Patton's states that all the old time beekeepers he has interviewed doubt that NZ is free of EFB. I am unsure as to what evidence these persons have for such a claim. However, the statement I made in my posting of April 19, 1996, that New Zealand is free of European foulbrood is based on a sound surveillance programme. Government apiculture personnel inspect 500 apiaries throughout NZ each year, with the apiaries chosen for their proximity to risk areas. Government apiculture personnel also carry out surveillance for the disease whenever they inspect beehives for any other reason (such as AFB inspection, export certification and pollination hive audits). Any suspect larvae are analysed microscopically at a government bee disease diagnostic laboratory, and those with Streptococcus-like particles are cultured to make a definitive diagnosis. All government apiculture personnel are fully trained in visual diagnosis of EFB symptoms, including familiarisation training in a country where EFB occurs (Australia, US, etc). The surveillance system is audited and subject to review by recognised overseas government agriculture officials and beekeeping industry representatives. 5. Mr. Patton states that the "claim that NZ is free of EFB has in the past been an effective zoosanitary trade barrier which has been an effective trade and economic tool for the NZ honeybee industry as this claim prevents any honeybees, honey and or used equipment from entering NZ". As I made clear in my posting of April 19, 1996, imports of honeybees, honey and other bee products are allowed entry into NZ provided they are determined to have a low risk of introducing exotic honey bee diseases. Millions of dollars of such products are imported into NZ each year.