AFB from a package?

[contactme_11]

Just wondering if anyone has ever heard of this or if it is even possible? I know that it is generally in the brood so as long as they use up what food is in their stomachs than it shouldn't be possible, right? How long does it take for them to use up said food?

[wd]

An option is to let them set for 3 days in a cool dark place with out food. Any afb spores that might be present is then digested.

Example: http://www.irishbeekeeping4you.info/html/swarm_info.html

[Michael Bush]

I've never heard of anyone getting AFB from package bees.

[wd]

I got to thinking about my post on this and realized I said nothing about feed transmission so, here I be.

As I understand it through study, AFB spores are transmitted with used equipment, honey, comb, larvae and the bees them selves. My first post was a suggestion and I should have included that - that practice is believed by some but I haven't seen any lab proof to date. I let what package bees I've purchased in the past sit for 48 hrs with corn syrup before installation.

I am considering using the method described in the first post as a precaution but seems all it takes is a little honey robbing to become infected.

[Michael Bush]

>but seems all it takes is a little honey robbing to become infected.

Wow!  In 35 years of beekeeping I've seen a lot of honey robbing.  I've bought a lot of used equipment.  I've never scorched it.  I have looked at used brood comb for scale, and never found any and have never seen AFB in my hives.  And have not used any kind of antibiotic in my hives for 33 years.  I think you're greatly over thinking this.

[TwT]

I have bought used equipment that most of it looks new and it is branded 1988, I never scorched it and never had a problem, I never treated or treat for any brood disease or any kind of disease, yaw are talking like these brood disease are rapid like mites, I have been beekeeping for 6 years now and been to many yards and never have seen a case of brood disease, I don't think it is as wide spread as you all are making it sound.

[Bighead]

Last spring I bought a package of bees, installed them in all new equipment except for one frame of drawn comb. A couple of months later I suspected  I had AFB, and was confirmed by the state inspector. I always suspected the used frame but I can't confirm that.

[wd]

>but seems all it takes is a little honey robbing to become infected.

Wow!  In 35 years of beekeeping I've seen a lot of honey robbing.  I've bought a lot of used equipment.  I've never scorched it.  I have looked at used brood comb for scale, and never found any and have never seen AFB in my hives.  And have not used any kind of antibiotic in my hives for 33 years.I think you're greatly over thinking this.

clarification? I don't doubt you're experience and contributions.

I'm certain if AFB or anything else were running uncontrollably rampant, there would be a clamp down on rules and regulations. Over Thinking? possibly but I'd rather look at it as awareness not live in fear of.

I have bought used equipment that most of it looks new and it is branded 1988, I never scorched it and never had a problem, I never treated or treat for any brood disease or any kind of disease, yaw are talking like these brood disease are rapid like mites, I have been beekeeping for 6 years now and been to many yards and never have seen a case of brood disease, I don't think it is as wide spread as you all are making it sound.

[Finski]

.
In Australia it is difficult to get rid off  AFB totally, because there much wild colonies in the nature  which have disease. When disease weakens the colony, industrial strong hives rob the nature colony and they get disease itself.

In Australia AFB protection is not allowed with antibiots.

You may clean hive from AFB when you shake bees on foundations. It is same with natural swarms when they draw foundations.

I have delivered AFB to my hives and to my neighbour via sun melter. Bees can lick the stuff and AFB needs 130 C temp that it will die. Sun melter has about 70 C temp. I stopped sun melting.
(Shame on me)

***********
As far as I know, AFB does not move with package bees.

[Michael Bush]

>clarification?

I have never heard of a package spreading AFB.  It is not something I would even worry about.  Robbing is normal and happens all the time.  I would not lose sleep over it.  I might be more worried if I KNEW a hive died of AFB and got robbed out, but it still is unlikely to be the issue.  Honey just doesn't carry as many spores as brood comb does.  The biggest contributing factor to the spread of AFB is treating for it.