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Message: <blockquote data-quote="NickWallingford" data-source="post: 5077" data-attributes="member: 44">I can say without having to hesitate that the results presented by [USER=233]@JohnF[/USER], both live and then on the poster, provided a highlight for me from the days in Rotorua.  I lack the practical experience of varroa, and something of a (personal) lack of interest in gene manipulations, that this work of [USER=233]@JohnF[/USER] 's made for a combination of defensible science, combined with obvious application and practicability in both the short and medium term.  His work describes, basically, using a swab at the colony entrance and then qPCR to identify the likelihood that the hive has, or soon will have, clinical symptoms.  Amazing effectiveness, for a very practical and easy to use process.  But it gets better!  Instead of swabbing and analysing on a 'per hive' basis, John has extended into composite sampling - using the same swab on a number of hives.  It won't identify which particular hive(s) of the group of hives might have AFB spores at a high level, but the potential for quickly screening an entire yard at a time for AFB with have use.  Not only by the beekeeper, but by the Management Agency as a means of cost effectively screening without necessarily visually inspecting each hive in the first place.  If the results come back with positive AFB results, then the hive by hive inspections would take place.  I've heard a lot of neat processes and innovations for beekeeping.  Often the 'real' value seems to still be too many years into the future for me to appreciate (I'm an old guy, remember).  I'd like to think that this methodology might be able to make some differences into the *near* future...  Thank you, John Mackay and Barry Forster.  I think you've provided some of the new tools that can have the confidence of beekeepers and lead us into a better outcome for AFB elimination in NZ.</blockquote>

Verification: What type of honey is New Zealand famous for?

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