From: Joe Waggle <joe9360@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2001 18:10:58 -0700 (PDT)
To: BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com
Subject: AFB- Is The Cure Chalkbrood?

Hello All,

Please read this article I clipped about AFB dated
1993

.....lab tests at an Agricultural Research Service
center in Beltsville, Md., showed that a fungus that
causes a less serious honeybee sickness, chalkbrood
disease, also produces linoleic acid, an unsaturated
fatty acid that inhibits the growth of bacteria that
causes foulbrood disease.

Scientists worked from the early 1960s to 1988 at
a Beltsville Bee Research Laboratory to find controls
for European foulbrood in southern New Jersey. During
the same time, chalkbrood also became widespread in
the same area. The scientists began to notice that as
the existence of European foulbrood declined,
chalkbrood remained constant, said Hachiro Shimanuki,
an ARS scientist.

........end of article........

I checked and found that linoleic acid is found in
peanut oil, vegetable oils. Now, Could using grease
patties also help in the control of foulbrood?

Ever since reading the article I continue to use
grease patties for the mites and even add a little
peanut oil just incase it may help in controlling
foulbrood.

I have never read or heard about any research on
linoleic acid for control of foulbrood since clipping
the article on 8-17-1993

Anyone have any thoughts on linoleic acid?

My guess is the research on linoleic acid was shelved
due to the more serious mite problem.

Regards,

Joe Pa-USA