From: "T & M Weatherhead" <queenbee@gil.com.au>
Date: Tue, 1 Jan 2002 07:37:14 +1000
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: cell size measurement - foul brood

> AFB did not originate neccessarily from America it was just a brood disease
> at the time. But for some reason it became a problem in america where it
> gets its name. Doesn't that seem odd (which coincides with cell
> enlargement)? Also Chaulk brood seemed to occur this way too? Why America?

Why then did European Foulbrood (EFB) not show up at the same time? I was told that AFB and EFB got their continental tags because that is where they were first described. I was also told that AFB and EFB became a problem after moveable frames became in common usage. It would seem that the USA embraced moveable frames much quicker than Europe and also the migratory nature had a big bearing on the spread of AFB.

Why did chalkbrood take such a long time to become established in the USA? There was large celled foundation long before chalkbrood turned up.

I think it is a long bow to say that all the ills of the beekeeping industry
are down to the enlarged cell. What about genetic selection? Bees were
dosed with antibiotics so there was no way of telling what was being
selected for. It certainly wasn't for disease resistance. Why couldn't the
resistance been lost and is now only being regained through work by people
such as Dr. Marla Spivak and certain beekeepers who are taking the time to
become drug free and select?

Trevor Weatherhead
AUSTRALIA