American foulbrood rampant in Connecticut (USA)

[squid_ink]

bad news :(

HAMDEN, Conn. - Connecticut scientists say nearly half the state's 2,600 registered beehives are infected with bacteria that cause a disease that kills honeybee larvae

Comments

[octopaedia]

I worked in honeybee research for three years (in Michigan) and we maintained about fifty hives. IIRC, we found foul brood once during those three years; those hive boxes and frames had to be autoclaved.

We treated with terramycin and in general it was effective; I would recommend it.

[squid_ink]

thanks! I've got the powder form, I normally treat in the fall anyway. I'll just start a little early this year

[vuzh]

Was autoclaving effective? I had heard it was best to burn the boxes and frames and start over.

[octopaedia]

Yes, autoclaving is effective as long as it's done properly. Some beekeepers don't have easy access to a large autoclave though, so in those cases the most sure-fire way is, indeed, to incinerate the infected boxes and frames.

We had a sister department that didn't bother autoclaving; they did incinerate theirs.