Bikernz

There is work underway the validate the test accuracy but I am no expert on lab procedures. As I understand it checking new processes against existing standards is routine in a lab. Good point. Regular inspections will still be the mainstay of managing apiaries. I was really just focussed on how to improve the specific AFB outcome.

One of the weaknesses of the current approach to managing AFB, IMHO, is that we rely on humans to visually identify it. Scanning over brood frame after brood frame looking for even a single cell that has been infected. I know very well from previous experience in high volume electronic component manufacturing that people, no matter how well intentioned, are not reliable at this type of repetitive task. We are looking for needles in haystacks at reported incidence rates of ~0.3% (yes, I know there is probably an under-reporting issue too). I believe that we need to engage modern science and use

Thank you. I am a lapsed treadler! Got a shed with bicycles gathering dust and a head full of dreams about using them again one day.

I have noticed a lot of these European Wool Carder Bees here in the north Waikato this year. The males (quite a bit larger than the females) can be very aggressive towards other insects and they have no respect for size or who was there first. I have seen them bombing bumblebees and white butterflies on the Hysop plant in my garden. They also like to build their small nests around the window frames on the north side of the house.

I have already submitted my thoughts on the AFB levy proposal and the performance of the AFB PMP Agency in general. Are you suggesting that this same material should be sent to the Minister as well?

I use top feeders and also leave them permanently in place on each hive, just moving the mat underneath when feeding is not required (otherwise the bees wav up all the underside of the feeder tray). There are no issues with needing the hive to be level when using the newer feeder trays having a bee access in all corners. I don’t use the central chimney. However, I did find that putting the mat directly over the syrup feeder tray caused the mat to go mouldy. This seemed to be due to the hive heat causing moisture to be driven off the syrup and that moisture then condensing on the mat. My solut