Winter preperations/ American foulbrood

[Kurt Bower]

Well, I am just now getting around to doing some winter preperations to my hives.
I am taking a minute or two each to look for ample stores, a good laying queen and to also verify the health and size of each colony.
I was able to quick check 30 colonies as well as fog them in around 2 hours.
In the process of checking my bees, I clearly came across a case of AFB or American foulbrood. The nose knows!
It is only one colony and if I address it immediately, there is a chance I can keep it. I made the mistake 5 years ago of ignoring AFB symptoms and it almost cost me all my hives.
I will take appropriate action and let you all know how things turn out.

Kurt

[No=-Bee's]

So what is the treatment for AFB. I was under the impression that this was a given dead hive that needed to be destroyed.

[Wally]

Deodorant...



I'm waiting on Kirt's answer to that one, too.

[Kurt Bower]

I have found from past experience that isolation is the first thing to do.
Because AFB eventually affects the population of a colony and leaves it vulnerable to robbing you want to move it to an outyard.
From experience, you can do one of 2 things depending on the strength of the colony.
1. a weak hive should be destroyed and the equipment burned or sent to the state for fumigation.
2. A strong hive can be shaken onto new equipment and treated with terramycin. I have had excellent results with no occurance of AFB with the few colonies I have done this with.
I also recommend that you treat the immediate colonies to either side with terramycin as a precaution.
Before sending off equipment to the State you should dispose of any comb with honey as fumigation can not penetrate to kill the AFB spore. Comb with pollen or brood can be left if so desired.

Kurt

[No=-Bee's]

How is the treatment going on the one colony that you discovered to have AFB?

[Kurt Bower]

Well...
Last time I checked, they were going like gang busters.
Funny thing is that they will probably out perform some of my other hives by next spring.
When you shake a package onto foundatin, they act as if they are a swarm and go like crazy in order to insure surival. I wouldnt be surprised if I end up splitting them in the Spring.

Kurt

[No=-Bee's]

When you say shake, do you mean that you simply shook all frames onto new equipment? If so, what did you do with the old stuff, did you send it to the state for fumigation? Are there any concerns about the AFB spores getting transfered on the bees themselves?

[Kurt Bower]

Yes, the bees were literally shaken onto new equipment.
The old equipment goes back to the State for fumigation and the bees are treated with terramycin.
The bees are also monitored and kept isolated for the next couple of years to deter any reoccurance of AFB.

[No=-Bee's]

Sounds good. The colony that Wally assisted me in taking out of the house is doing very well. If you recall we took them out on the 22nd of Aug. and I was a bit hesitant in doing so that late in the year. However, they are full up in two deeps now, and weigh about 90 lbs. So I think they are good for winter. However, I have a good deal of work to do in getting some frames changed out next spring. They have built a tremendous amount of bridge comb between abou 4 frames in the bottom box. Kind of a mess.

I wonder if Wally did not have all this planned. This way, I have no real choice but learn how to manipulate the hive. I think he is sly in his teaching methods.

I am glad now that I decided to go ahead and get bees this year. I think Wally knows how addicted I am.

[Wally]

Any good dope peddler knows how to get new clients hooked.