Subject: Re: What to do with empty hive?

From: [email-masked] (C. Paul Ferroni)
Date: 1 Aug 1994 22:31:37 GMT

In article <sandrock.775502827@aries>, [email-masked] (Mark Sandrock) writes:

[...munch...]

> new colony, but in the meantime, what do I do with all those full frames?
> Get an extractor? Destroy the frames? What? And will these bees feasting
> on the honey be very upset at my intervention? I've been stung a few times
> in my life, but certainly I'm not anxious to try for multiple stings!
> 
> Thanks in advance!
> 
> Mark Sandrock

  If the hive is empty (and if it's not already too late) you need to
do something to keep the wax moths out.  Bees will keep them out when
they are living in the hive, but I doubt if robber's will care.  

  You should open the hive (don't worry about the "mean-ness" of robbers.
I suspect that they'll act pretty much like "ordinary bees") and see if
you have robbers, or if a swarm has moved in.  You can probably judge this
by watching the bees coming in.  If they are laden with pollen, they are
not robber bees, and you have a natural swarm that's moved in.

  If you don't have any resident bees, then move the hive in the evening,
since the robbers will all go home around sunset, and leave the hive empty.
Move it to wherever you'll be storing it.  Check it carefully for moth-damage.
You'll recognize it if you see it - worm-like larvae eating through the
wax, leaving silky trails behind them.  Eventually they'll form cocoons on
the wooden frames, but by that time, all the wax will be consumed.

  I store my empty hives in plastic garbage bags, with some moth balls
on top of the frames, isolated from actually contacting the wax/frames
by a sheet of cardboard.  This will actually kill any larvae and eggs in
the combs, too. 

  Be SURE to air out the frames a couple of DAYS before putting on active
hives after removing them from the presence of the moth balls.  The wax 
will store some of the chemicals in it, and requires lots of free air
to flush it out.

  You can also treat frames with a BT spray (bacillus thurengensis spores --
spelling not guaranteed) that will kill any wax moth larvae when they hatch,
and be totally harmless to bees.  This can be purchased under several
common names -- check your garden supply store.

  Wax moths can devistate a weak/inactive/empty hive in a matter of weeks.
Once ruined, you have to start from scratch with new foundation, etc.

  Hope you've got a swarm.  That'd be the best solution to all your problems.
But in any case, don't be afraid to visit your bees.  With a good veil, 
gloves, and proper clothing, you shouldn't have any problems.  (forgot to add
a little common sense to that list :) ).

-cpf

---

From: [email-masked] (Rick Hough)
Date: Mon, 01 Aug 1994 13:57:46 -0500

In article <sandrock.775502827@aries>, [email-masked] (Mark
Sandrock) wrote:

[preliminaries deleted for brevity]
> Now, the problem is, this hive full of honey has been sitting in the
> garden all along, and I've noticed a fair amount of activity with bees
> coming and going and crawling around the hive entrance. Yesterday I
> received the equipment I (finally) ordered, and was ready to take a
> look inside, but happened to read a paragraph in Walter Kelley's book
> about the potential "meanness" of robber bees. Well, if what I have are
> robber bees, I'm not anxious to do battle with them, and am appealing
> here for any advice as to what course of action I should now follow.

As Mike Moroney noted, robber bees aren't that big a deal. Yes, they tend
to be somewhat more aggressive than "residents", but you probably won't
notice that much of a difference if you are a "glove-wearer" (i.e. you
don't work your bees bare-handed). One good way to discriminate between
residents & robbers from the outside of the hive is to watch the hive
entrance - If you see bees bringing pollen into the colony, then you
have an active colony (robbers will not bring pollen in - they are taking
the honey out!  Also, pollen coming into a colony is an indication that
there is brood rearing going on (ok - late in the season they might
be storing it away for spring...) which is something only "residents"
will do. Again, as Mike noted, robbers will clean out a vacant colony
quite rapidly, so if the activity you have been watching is, indeed,
robbers, it is likely you don't have to worry about any honey!

> Kelley's informed me that they've been sold out of bees for several
> months, and I'm thinking I have to wait until next spring to start a

It is amazing how mother nature takes care of these things for us -
maybe a swrm moved in, in which case you have an established colony by
this time, but you need to watch for mites & disease. Also, depending on how
well they have built up, you may need to feed them to help them through the
winter. If a swarm has not moved in, then it is likely that other bees will
have found the colony & robbed all the honey out. Once the robbers have
done their work, it is likely that wax moths will move in, and consume all
the wax left in the hive. So, you may open the hive this fall, and just find
a bunch of empty frames!!

If you still have honey in the frames, you have a bunch of choices to make.
Contact me by e-mail if you want, and we can talk about this further.
 
Rick Hough
[email-masked]

****************************************************
* Rick Hough             * email: [email-masked] *
* TASC                   * Phone: (617) 942-2000   *
* 55 Walkers Brook Drive * FAX:   (617) 942-7100   *
* Reading, MA 01867      *                         *
****************************************************
SET DISCLAIMER ON
The above is my opinion, and not my employer's or anyone else's.

---

From: [email-masked] (Aaron Morris)
Date: Wed, 03 Aug 94 10:06:08 EDT

I'm surprised that there isn't more concern about the "Empty Hive"
thread that has been going on the past few days.  The scenario was
that a hive died last year and now the owner is wondering what's
going on in the hive this season.  I've been keeping this to myself,
and have been watching others' responses/suggestions and have been
shocked that none has mentioned what poor beekeeping practice it
is to have not addressed the situation until now.  I know that it's
a newbie who has the problem and I realize it's the first exposure
the newbie has with keeping bees and we should be gentle.  So as
gently as I know how I have to ask, "What the hell have you been
doing that was so important that you haven't addressed the problem
until the end of July!?"  Oops, be gentle.
 
Disease is nothing to take lightly.  When a hives dies, a beekeeper
should first close up the hive to make it as inaccessible as possible
to other bees.  This should have been done as soon as it was sure the
hive was dead (was it February?).  Robber bees WILL show up if there
is honey left and if no honey is left then investigator bees WILL
show up just to check things out.  If any disease is present, the
robbers/investigators WILL take it back to their home hive.  So first
and foremost, the hive should have been sealed.  Spreading disease
was not a concern to the owner (as it was the only hive) but there may
be neighbors with bees who could pick up disease from an unattended
hive.  Beekeepers have a responsibility to protect not only their own
apiary but the apiaries of others and feral populations as well.
 
After a dead hive has been sealed it should be determined what
caused the hive's demise and action should be taken accordingly.  If
starvation was the cause, the equipment can be reused and should be
restocked ASAP.  However if disease was the culprit, different measures
are in order (worst case scenario (American Foulbrood) calls for
treatment by fire).  If it can't be determined what the cause was,
it's best to err on the conservative side.  When it doubt, burn it out!
Drastic yes, but it's cheaper to replace an empty hive that to restock
a diseased environment only to have it die out again.
 
Finally, I have to say again, the time to do this was as soon as the
problem was noticed.  There is just no excuse to have not taken care
of this problem in the spring (and EARLY spring at that).  Inexperience
can only be overcome by gaining experience.  All the discussion of the
possibility of a swarm moving in and discussions of the danger of wax
moths would not have taken place had the problem been addressed in a
timely manner.  Not meaning to get on the guy's case (I was a newbie
once myself), but the description of being timid to look in the hive
for fear of getting stung says to me that the guy is pursuing the
wrong hobby.  You're working with bees.  Stings come with the
territory.  Get used to it.
 
And while I'm on my soapbox, does anyone else have a problem with the
moth balls on top of the frames suggestion?  Especially when the very
same posting states that the wax WILL absorb moth ball chemicals!
Can you spell honey contamination?  I can just picture a honey judge:
"Hmmm.  Nice color.  Pleasant order with just the right subtle
undertones of moth balls!"  Glad I am that I've never had the pleasure.
 
Sorry to have flamed away here (torches blazing!).  It isn't my intent
to put the guy down and I don't want to discourage his interests, but
if you're going to keep bees, then keep bees.  If you are going to
have bees, don't.  Beekeeping is an active pursuit.  Beehaving is a
disservice to the bees you have and the bees kept by others in your
area.
 
I will apologize in advance to the posters of the articles if they
take offense to the tone of my response.  I don't mean any disrespect,
I'm just stating rather forcefully what should be good practice in
keeping bees.

---

From: [email-masked] (Mark Sandrock)
Date: 3 Aug 94 20:36:32 GMT

[email-masked] (Aaron Morris) writes:

>...  So as

Well, since you ask, I'll give you a few highlights. In March both
sump pumps failed and the lower level of my house flooded. In April
I spent several weeks supervising a severely depressed, suicidal
acquaintance, (it's a *long* story), including having to hang onto
the person by one arm as she hung off a two-story overpass at O'Hare
airport in Chicago. Including flying to Germany to escort the person
to a hospital there since the airline would not agree to allow her to
fly alone. There have been other personal crises, less spectacular,
but no less time-consuming--I'm a single parent of three teenage boys,
so crises come with the territory.

Actually I did have the hive stored in my garage for part of the time.
My mistake was putting in back out in the garden before I was certain
I would have the time to work on it. I should have sealed the hive
in plastic rather than putting it back out. I realize this now. So,
mea culpa!

>a diseased environment only to have it die out again.

The neighbor in back, a former bee-keeper and a retired professor of
entymology, opened the hive last October and felt that the colony was
so weak that it would probably not survive the winter, and it turned
out he was right. The bees didn't starve. They may have simply died
of cold. Also, I did have the hive stored in my garage for several
months, and as of early July there was no sign of moths. Nor had there
been any appearance of foul-brood, I did have the fellow in back take
a look at some frames to be certain.

>of this problem in the spring (and EARLY spring at that).

I think you've made the point rather well, my friend!!

>...  Not meaning to get on the guy's case (I was a newbie

If you'll recall, my concern was not being stung, but being attacked
by a swarm of bees. Something I had read indicated that this might
be a possibility and that it could endanger other people and animals
in the vicinity, so I was checking before plunging ahead. A few stings
I think I can handle, having been stung before. Maybe the author was
exagerating, but how do I know unless I ask?

>disservice to the bees you have and the bees kept by others in your

No problem. I don't feel put down. I respect your conviction.

>I'm just stating rather forcefully what should be good practice in

No offense taken here. Thanks for your post.

Mark Sandrock
-- 
Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	"Fruechte reifen durch die Sonne,
Chemical Sciences Computer Center	 Menschen durch die Liebe."
505 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana, IL 61801			--Julius Langbehn
Email: [email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Rick Hough)
Date: Wed, 03 Aug 1994 17:52:44 -0500

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked]

> thread that has been going on the past few days.  The scenario was

[lots of good stuff deleted for brevity]

Thank you Aaron!! I agree with your sentiments, and the forceful tone
is appropriate (IMHO).  I authored a response to the original request,
but failed to step back to the basics. It is all too easy to fire off
a quick comment, and miss some of the more important issues that were
not directly addressed.

Thank you for reminding all of us that beekeeping involves significant
responsibilities, in addition to all the pleasures it can bring. Solving
or at least reducing widespread problems like mites & diseases can only
be accomplished if responsible beekeepers significantly outnumber the
negligent ones.

Rick
[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Dr David Lauckner)
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 1994 07:43:54 +0000

The garbage bag (in the UK I would call it a binliner!)method
worked for me last winter. I did not use mothballs. 
I use a wad soaked in glaciac acetic acid. This is an approved
bee kit "sterilizer" as I understand things.
David

--
Dr David Lauckner                        Phone: 0670-521212
Wansbeck General Hospital                Fax:   0670-529778
ASHINGTON, Northumberland        e-mail: [email-masked]
United Kingdom.

---

From: [email-masked] (C. Paul Ferroni)
Date: 4 Aug 1994 21:53:35 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Aaron Morris) writes:
> thread that has been going on the past few days.  

[...munch...]

> undertones of moth balls!"  Glad I am that I've never had the pleasure.

  I am the poster of the mothballs suggestion...  My (longwinded) comments 
follow.

> I'm just stating rather forcefully what should be good practice in

  Your comments are appreciated.  I agree that we should all be aware
of good and proper practice.  I wasn't giving a flippant or "home-brew"
suggestion with mothballs.  I've been keeping bees for about 15 years,
starting in college, after taking an apiculture class at Ohio State
University, taught by Prof Rothenbeuler (sp?), one of the contributors
to _The_Hive_and_the_Honey_Bee_.  I honestly don't recall if he ever
actually suggested this in class (or in one of the hands-on labs), but
one of the two books we used in class specifically recommended this
practice.  If Dr. Rothenbeuler had disagreed in class, I would have
marked it down in the book (along with several other things he didn't
agree with).  

  Anyways, here are relevant quotes and notes from
_The_Hive_and_the_Honey_Bee_ and _Starting_Right_with_Bees_, the two
books we used in class, and that I refer to when I have questions.
Complete reference information is included, in case later versions
(which I've never seen) are different.

>From _The_Hive_and_the_Honey_Bee_, Revised Edition (1976), from 
Dadant & Sons, Inc.

Chapter XXI, "Diseases and Enemies of the Honey Bee", pg 651-652,
says that to avoid wax moth problems, you should (My summary outline):

1) Maintain strong colonies which will not allow the moths to develop.
2) Keep empty combs in cold storage rooms.
3) Fumigate
   a) Ethylene dibromide (best)
   b) Ethylene oxide (also for foulbrood spores)
4) Use Bacillus thuringiensis

NOTE: No mention of Paradichlorobenzene (moth balls) in this section.

Also, in Chapter XIV, "The Production of Comb and Bulk Comb Honey", in a 
section called "Care of Comb Honey" (pg 439) with reference to
handling section comb or bulk comb honey:

    "[section comb or bulk comb honey] cannot be handled too carefully to
    prevent damage.  It is the appearance of comb honey that determines
    much of it's sale value.  After the supers are removed and brought to
    the honey house, they should be fumigated againt damage by wax moth.
    The supers may be stacked about 15 high, leaving no cracks for fumigant
    to escape.  [...] One well-known fumigant, paradichlorobenzene (PDB),
    should never be used as the odor will permeate the cappings and ruin
    the flavor of the honey."

Note that this is relative to comb with honey in it.  Of course you 
would NEVER allow a volatile substance like PDB near your honey!  I
never implied that.  However, the stuff DOES dissapate with lots of
fresh air.

Another good reference book on beekeeping (much shorter, and more
"practical" then the former): _Starting_Right_with_Bees_, 18th edition
(1976), from the A.I.Root company, also discusses the wax moth.  Chapter
20, "Diseases and Pests of Honeybees", page 93:

       "Stored combs are very susceptible to wax moth injury, especially
    combs that have been used in brood rearing.  Empty combs, wet or dry,
    can be stored successfully indoors or out in supers and hive bodies.
    The supers and hive bodies of combs should be stacked six full depth
    supers high or less on a smooth pallet or metal cover.  The joints
    between the supers if not tight should be taped all the way around with
    masking tape to make them airtight.  A cupful of moth crystals,
    chemically known as Paradichlorobenzene, should be placed on a piece of
    cardboard and set on top of frames or combs in the top super.  An empty
    shallow super should then be set on the top super, around the crystals
    and the stack covered with a tight cover and sealed with masking tape.
    The crystals emit a gas that is heavier than air and this gas will seep
    down through the combs killing moths and worms, and protect the stack
    from future attacks.  Crystals should be added to each stack of combs
    as they evaporate.
       Before putting fumigated combs back on the hives the stack should
    be broken apart and the combs aired for 72 hours.
       Ethylene dibromide is effective againt all stages of the wax moth
    but cannot be used to fumigate honey and combs where the intended
    purpose of the honey is for human food."

This is the reference I'm referring to at the beginning.  I've done this
(when necessary) for years, and never noticed any odor/taste in my honey.
I have never entered it in any fair, though.

It's also interesting to note that _The_Hive_and_the_Honey_Bee_ and
_Starting_Right_with_Bees_ seriously disagree about Ethylene dibromide.
One saying it's the best fumigant; the other, don't use where honey will
be used for food.  Perhaps, this is meant for comb honey again (?).

The bottom line is that its obviously best to keep stong hives, and store
your empty supers in sealed bags, in cold areas (freezing) where possible.

Well, 'nuff for now.  I hope this adds a little substance to the discussion.
Again, no offense taken.  Thanks for the opportunity to do a little
digging into one of my favorite hobbies.

-cpf
[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (R S Rodgers)
Date: Fri, 05 Aug 1994 12:14:54 -0500

In article <[email-masked]>,
[email-masked] (Aaron Morris) wrote:
> (worst case scenario (American Foulbrood) calls for
> treatment by fire).

Pardon a question from an interested reader (no knowledge whatsoever
of beekeeping), but what are "Robber Bees" (wasps?) and what is
American Foulbrood?

I ask because I'm curious as to what kinds of diseases strike bees.
In my pesticide class, we covered the use of biological agents instead
of chemical pesticides (fungi, etc.), but nothing about diseases that
strike beneficial insects.

--
Previous .sig deleted because some people couldn't parse "from email
_received_ re: a post on comp.sys.powerpc."

---

From: [email-masked] (Rick Hough)
Date: Fri, 05 Aug 1994 17:56:06 -0500

[...munch...]
> NOTE: No mention of Paradichlorobenzene (moth balls) in this section.

Ah - it suddenly becomes clear! There are two kinds of "moth balls"!!
There is the kind that my mom uses to keep the moths out of her sweaters
(I forget the chemical name), and then there is Paradichlorobenzene (PDB)
that beekeepers use to deal with Wax moth.

I'm under the impression that use of PDB on stored comb is widespread, and
not detrimental to the comb, although there is a need to air out the combs
for several days prior to putting them on the hives.

While my mom's moth balls would probably kill the wax moth, I'm pretty
sure that there is a problem with that chemical staying in the wax. Besides,
my mom's moth balls aren't labeled (read legal) for use on combs (I think
PDB is labeled for use on stored comb... isn't it??)

Any comment, Aaron??

> your empty supers in sealed bags, in cold areas (freezing) where possible.

Amen to that!!

Have a good weekend, all!

Rick Hough

---

From: [email-masked] (Rick Hough)
Date: Fri, 05 Aug 1994 18:16:14 -0500

> of beekeeping), but what are "Robber Bees" (wasps?) and what is

Robber Bees = honey bees that come from a different hive to steal honey
from a weak or uninhabited hive.

American Foulbrood (AFB) is a disease of honeybee brood (young bees)
- it strikes the pupal stage, and is fatal to the individual bees
that it infects. If enough individuals get it, it can kill an entire hive.
It is spread by spores, which can contaminate the honey (thus the
transference of AFB by robber bees), as well as the combs. AFB
spores are not dangerous to humans - our digestive system takes care
of that, but the poor bees don't fare so well. The darn spores are
very tough to kill, and thus the fire treatment is the method of choice
for dealing with serious infections.

Hope this answers your questions.

Rick

---

From: [email-masked] (R S Rodgers)
Date: Sat, 06 Aug 1994 10:22:17 -0500

In article <[email-masked]>,
> Hope this answers your questions.

Yes, thanks.

---

From: [email-masked] (Adrian Graham DENT - Rodent)
Date: Sun, 7 Aug 1994 00:45:27 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Aaron Morris) writes:
>From: [email-masked] (Aaron Morris)
>Subject: Re: What to do with empty hive?
>Date: Wed, 03 Aug 94 10:06:08 EDT

>thread that has been going on the past few days.  The scenario was

In quick defence of myself, I did express some such concerns (I always do....
I am on a CRUSADE against diseases...my fathers entire apiary was wiped out 
by AFB) I did actaully reply along that vein, but from my other account, and 
I don't seem to be able to get the news posting facility on that acount to 
work...

Adrian (trying to help myself this time....)

---

From: [email-masked] (John E. Taylor III)
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 1994 07:26:06 -0400

In article <[email-masked]>,

> that beekeepers use to deal with Wax moth.

The "other" mothballs (the ones you should NOT use) are naphthalene.  It's
a hydrocarbon (polycyclic hydrocarbon, if you're into details) that would
be quite soluble in wax and would thus diffuse readily into the comb.

--
John Taylor    (W3ZID)     |  "The opinions expressed are those of the
[email-masked] |   writer and not of Rohm and Haas Company."

---

From: [email-masked] (Aaron Morris)
Date: Mon, 08 Aug 94 10:52:16 EDT

Some final comments on my "Empty Hive" missal.
 
First, I'm glad that readers saw through the flames and took the face
value of my post.  Bees will do what bees will do, beekeeper or not.
There are no value judgments involved.  Bees will visit an empty
hive, irregardless of the reasons why the hive is empty.  Valid
reasons or bad excuses don't matter to the bees who see an empty hive
as an empty hive.
 
Concerning the moth ball thread, I guess it breaks down into a couple
of things: commercial vs hobby beekeeping and greens vs browns
(organic vs chemicals).  I am a hobby beekeeper with twenty years
experience.  My beekeeping concerns are small potatoes.  I don't have
to store large numbers of honey supers and am able to spend more
time/labor tending my equipment.  My goal in keeping bees is to be
outside enjoying the buzz.  The hobby is its own reward, the honey
harvest is a bonus.  I also lean towards the green side.  I garden
organically whenever possible, although I've been known to resort to
herbicides (flower gardens only, never vegetable/consumable gardens)
when the weeding task is beyond my ability to handle it organically.
I do however, avoid nonorganic pesticides at all costs.  Better to
lose to the buggers than poison them with chemicals in my book.
 
This explains my distaste for fumigants, sanctioned or not.  I too
got out my copy of "The_Hive_and_the_Honeybee" and read up on
fumigants.  Finding a reference that says that it's ok to use PDB
and/or moth crystals doesn't make it ok for ME to use it/them.
Knowing that the U.S. government says that after three days of airing
out the supers they will be "OK" doesn't necessarily give me comfort,
although I ALWAYS believe whatever the governments says ;-) .
 
As a small potatoes beekeeper, I am able to wrap ALL of my honey
supers in plastic garbage bags and with diligence, I can avoid
problems with wax moths.  I have no need to resort to fumigants when
mechanics will serve my needs.  I would probably sing a different tune
were my operation multiplied a hundred fold, but I am more comfortable
knowing that my honey has not been exposed to fumigants, whether used
properly or not.  When a query is posted about whether honey is
exposed to chemicals, the answer can't be "No, it was produced in
honey supers that were exposed to chemicals in a sanctioned manner",
the answer is "Yes, the honey has been exposed to chemicals".  It's up
to the consumer to decide to what degree they are comfortable with the
USDA sanctioned exposure.
 
Laying all my cards on the table, I'll admit to using Apistan.  I've
lost too many hives to mites, and there is no alternative at the
present time, so USDA sanctions away, I use the strips and follow the
"moving target" directions.  I'm not reassured by following the
directions and I know that at least on a molecular level, my honey
contains a contaminate that it did not before I started using the
strips.  I'm not comfortable with whatever level of contaminates there
may or may not be, but given the alternatives I'll use the strips and
live with the discomfort.
 
This is not meant to start off an organic vs chemicals flame war,
that's already covered on rec.gardens.  I'll continue to avoid
fumigants, I'll continue to use Apistan, I'll continue to monitor
progress on genetic resistance, and I'll continue to be comforted in
knowing that the honey produced by my bees has a lower level of
exposure to sanctioned chemicals than most.
 
Cheers!
Aaron Morris
 
P.S. On a different note, while browsing "The_Hive_and_the_Honeybee" I
stumbled across a reference to a US president in the '70s who was a
real believer in the positive benefits of bee pollen, but the
reference didn't say which US president (Nixon, Ford, Carter, Regan).
I'll bet it was Carter, but does anyone know for sure?

---

From: [email-masked] (R S Rodgers)
Date: Fri, 05 Aug 1994 12:14:54 -0500

---

From: [email-masked] (Rick Hough)
Date: Fri, 05 Aug 1994 17:56:06 -0500

[...munch...]

Any comment, Aaron??

Amen to that!!

Rick Hough

---

From: [email-masked] (Rick Hough)
Date: Fri, 05 Aug 1994 18:16:14 -0500

Rick

---

From: [email-masked] (R S Rodgers)
Date: Sat, 06 Aug 1994 10:22:17 -0500

Yes, thanks.

---

From: [email-masked] (Adrian Graham DENT - Rodent)
Date: Sun, 7 Aug 1994 00:45:27 GMT

---

From: [email-masked] (John E. Taylor III)
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 1994 07:26:06 -0400

---

From: [email-masked] (Aaron Morris)
Date: Mon, 08 Aug 94 10:52:16 EDT

Cheers!
Aaron Morris