Guilfordbeekeepers.org

Maybe this questions should be moved to another post... but here you go.

Zulu and Rob, what is BT?

BT is an organic bacteria/bacterial spore used to control certain crop damaging larvae. One version, ineffective on wax moths, is the BT in Dipel. The version of BT in products like Xentari is effective at killing wax moth larvae. It is used on things like fruit trees and can be used on stored tobacco to prevent larvae damage.

I don't believe it is approved for use in honey bee hives in the U.S. any longer. It used to be. I believe it is still approved for use in Canada and England. I don't know of anything particularly wrong with it other than it not being profitable enough for bee suppliers to go to the expense of applying for current approval. If you look up the name, Certan, you should be able to read about it. Obviously, I cannot recommend its use to anyone. That is an individual decision for each beekeeper to make.

Some GMO plants now have the Bt gene to protect against specific insect larvae. Bt is probably one of the safest crop protectants to use around bees. I would very much rather have a neighbor dust his cabbage or tomato plants with dipel than sevin dust.

http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupda ... sp?ID=9337

Xentari BT, is a recognized Organic insecticide. It is used in Cabbage farming and other green products, and Farmers using it may still call their produce Organic.

It used to be registered in USA for Beekeeping, and is used widely in other countries for Wax Moth.
One has to wonder why we cannot use it when it used to be OK.

Plenty written on Bee usage in other countries, it can be sprayed directly onto drawn comb, can even be done with Bees in situ, will not affect Bees , or Bee larvae.

Efficacy is well above 95% , and while literature in Europe in the use of Certan ( a liquid) , recommends annual spraying, the Xentari is delivered in powder format , and you mix and use the same day. Keepers have written of no Wax moth damage 3-5 seasons later, when using Xentari. Xentari in powder format has stability that is measured in multiple years, once mixed must be used within 24 hrs.

My understanding is one company was licensed to sell certan. When the company was sold, the license did not transfer and the new company never applied for a license. No facts to back it up, but that is my understanding. I do not think it is illegal to use it in your hives. I think it is only legal to SELL it for gardens.

I may be totally wrong, but that is my thoughts.

That kinda makes sense Wally.

I'll do some digging now that the rep is talking to me....

If anyone is having problems with Caterpillars on their cabbages ,

I have a source of BT locally now - the rep sorted me out. email me or PM me

Rick