Yes it is. I’ve heard some of the “bee scientists” lecture on how treating for AFB is a bad idea, and finish the talk with instructions on how to treat… It’s baffling to me.
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It’s issues such as the management of pests & diseases where it really is imperative to have a recognised & effective uniform response.
In Australia a revised Biosecurity Plan has recently been released & made available to all registered Beekeepers. There was also an online course/ as part of it. Every little bit helps, as long as people utilise the resources provided for them.
http://honeybee.org.au/programs/code-of-practice-and-national-bee-biosecurity-program/
http://www.planthealthaustralia.com.au/resources/training/biosecurity-online-training/
Hi Weber,
I am responding on behalf of my own research and not on behalf of Flow.
The most important thing from my research is to check what the local regulations are in your area for pest / disease prevention and treatment,
I can see from your profile you are located in mainland Australia, NSW - so it would be best to check the faq sheets in realtion to NSW, Australia. For example, Tasmania is different to mainland Australia, and they have to comply to different rules and regulations.
I found this good site, which then also has faq sheets for different areas:
http://beeaware.org.au/archive-pest/american-foulbrood/#ad-image-0
If you click on “fact sheets” you get a list of government and other bodies documents:
American foulbrood, Plant Health Australia
Managing AFB – Guidelines for the identification and management of American Foulbrood, NSW DPI (D. Somerville, 2012)
American foulbrood, NSW Department of Primary Industries
Control and eradication of American foulbrood, VIC Department of Environment and Primary Industries
American foulbrood, Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA
American foulbrood, Bee Base, UK
Australian Beekeeping Guide (2014) Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Publication No. 14/098
This is a helpful doc and relates to your area:
You will see on page 35: Diagnostic service
• a free service to all NSW registered beekeepers. Samples of either brood
comb or microscopic slides are examined for AFB spores
I also found this document useful:
https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/downloads/14-098
AFB is a notifiable bee disease
If you detect AFB or suspect it to be present in a hive, contact your state or territory Department of Primary Industries apiary inspector or apiary officer. You will be given advice on how to control and eradicate the disease. Remember, it is mandatory by law to notify the presence or suspicion of AFB in an apiary.
To not notify, is to break the law.
From this page: http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm?sectionid=26
Is this link: More information is available on the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) chapters for AFB : http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahm/2.02.02_AMERICAN_FOULBROOD.pdf
Shows different ways to test for AFB, etc.
But as mentioned above, you can get a free diagnostic test from the NSW Department of Primary Industries:
- fill out lab submission form:
available from NSW DPI website
www.dpi.nsw.gov.au
Instructions here: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/558434/managing-afb.pdf
Have a look at this page too:
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/bees/pests-diseases
From there you see the video series:
How to identify, manage and destroy hives if necessary. But being in NSW you should be able to use Gamma Irradiation.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/bees/pests-diseases/foulbrood-disease/videos
https://www.honeyflow.com/faqs/flow-frame-sterilisation-irradiation-disease-control/p/145#a1
Irradiation: We have tested the Flow Frames with multiple doses of 15kGy gamma rays. We found that 1 dose had minimal effect while 2 doses made the plastic significantly more brittle. We have also discovered that some Irradiation facilities use beehives as ‘Gap Filler’ in larger loads. This means a single round may expose your frames to more than 40 kGy.
What you should do when treating with irradiation:
Flow frames should only be exposed to a single dose of 15 kGy irradiation. If you need to send your Flow frames for irradiation please mark them clearly for future reference. In addition, you should contact the irradiation facility and explain that due to the plastic in your frames you require a dose as close to 15 kGy as possible. Discuss this with them and clearly label your package before sending.
http://steritech.com.au/industries/beekeeping/
I hope that helps. The internet search I did is “afb treatment australia”.
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Thanks for this post Faroe.
The first person I would call without delay if I ever got AFB here would be Karla Williams from DPIPWE - the Government specialist Apiary Officer here in Tasmania. Then I would do what I was told to.
Also one of the top priorities given the variations in the law.
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Hi Faroe, thanks for the research.
I actually started this thread because I observed AFB is too often swept under the carpet.
I wanted to find out about preventive measures if AFB is in the neighbourhood.
Most interesting are Michael Bush’s comments about healthy bee guts and Dawn’s research about the spores, which goes beyond the information commonly available to beekeepers.
I also learned to check my colonies every brood cycle for 3 months, so if I find AFB in one colony, there wouldn’t be enough time to spread it to the others.
Thanks for the hint about the dosage at the irradiation facility. Just in time for my neighbour’s flow frames.
The biosecurity course certificate is already in my bee folder. I learned a lot by doing the course, highly recommend.
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Oh dear 
That is not sounding good 
Wow, that’s significant: Luckily hives and frames are cheap to replace.
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There’s always irradiation too, for hive ware
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But it has an adverse affect on the plastic.
It does, however when you referred to hives & frames being cheap to replace & not using plastic hive ware myself, I made the assumption of referencing wooden components.
Ahh, we have an assumer amongst us! lol
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