Using and Waxing Plastic Frames

[RoofTops]

I am surpised by the above as I have spoken several times to RB about plastic hives and he was the author behind the amendment to the Foulbroods Guide which covered chemical sterilisation. I hope they are not going down this route as any action which leaves the beekeeper out of pocket will be a powerful disincentive to beekeepers declaring disease. Of course the majority of cases of AFB are found by bee inspectors but if I found it in my hives why would I want to report it if I was going to get a bill?

 

[Hivemaker.]

No idea John.....but this was what he had to say earlier when he phoned me back about the plastic frames,but no problems with the box's,just clean and sterilise with bleach,did try to speak with Mike as well,but not around today....so e mailed him.

 

[madasafish]

Some thing has to be sorted out as I suspect Bee Inspectors will soon fall to spending cuts...

Does the BBKA have a plan if that happens?

 

[Chris B]

Reading through the legislation reveals that comb must be destroyed along with "appliances or things liable to spread infection". My interpretation of that is the law does not explicitly require any frame, wooden or plastic, to be destroyed unless the inspector judges it poses a risk. Well of course any frame does pose a risk unless sterilised, which certainly does not make much financial sense in the case of wooden frames. But it would make an interesting test case if somebody insisted on trying. As for plastic frames that are non-porous, there is no reason it can't be sterilised as easily as a poly box so a BI would have no grounds for insisting on destruction if the beekeeper was willing to sterilise it. The BI's are obliged to abide by the regs just as much as any beekeeper is.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Will be interesting at some stage no doubt.....but i suppose the sterilising has to be done under the supervision of the inspector....and the work cleaning off all the diseased comb,which would need to be done when there is no risk of it infecting any other bee's,and burnt,and then sterilising them is a bit more involved than cleaning up the box's. If a large number of colonys then it could take up several more days of inspector time,rather than just taking and incinerating all the frames.

 

[beebreeder]

And each time any contaminated kit is moved the possibility of moving the disease as well, if plastic is to become popular beekeepers need to know how and what is the correct procedure.
kev