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Bee Diseases and Afflictions
Disease Cause Appearance of Broodnest Appearance of Cappings Dead Larvae Color and Consistency of Larvae Scales Odor
American Foulbrood bacillus larvae- bacterium, sporeforming scattered brood pattern sunken, perforated, discolored, greasey appearance flat on bottom of cell light brown, dull white, dark brown, eventually coffee to dark brown,; sticky to ropey black-brown and rough, removed by bees wih difficulty; lies flat on lower side of cell unpleasant glue-like
Chalkbrood Acosphaera apis, a fungus scattered light or dark, convex, any perforated most often in sealed or perforated cells white and mouldy, later grey-black, hard and chalk-like none normal
Chilled brood sudden or prolonged low temperature few or many dead larvae in cells at edge of broodnest light or dark sunken and discolored over time mostly in unsealed cells dark or black, dry quickly remnants are removed by bees easily normal, roten odor in severe cases
Drone brood in worker cells unfertilized or laying worker eggs in worker cells predominantly drone brood bullet-like none or few normal none normal
European foulbrood, advance infection Streptococcus pluton, a bacterium scattered brood pattern, often pepperbox in appearance discolored, sunken, perforated in unsealed and sealed cells, in twisted positions, sometimes stretched out on the ventral side of the cell black-brown, viscous, slightly ropey and stickey rubbery, black-brown and smooth, are removed by bees with difficulty unpleasant, sour
European Foulbrood- Early infection Streptococcus pluton, a bacterium scattered brood pattern some discolored, sunken, perforated in unsealed cells, in twisted positions; trachea system often visible yellow and brown; remains granular yellowish or light brown; easily removed by bees sour
Healthy Brood pattern of sealed cells light brown color, convex cappings none plump, white, mother-of-pearl appearnace none none or fresh
Sacbrood a virus scattered, often with many unsealed cells often dark and sunken, many perforated most often with head raised greyish to black, watery and granular; skin has a sack-like appearance head predominantly curled up; yellow-brown or dark grey; removed by bees with ease none to sour
Stonebrood Aspergillus flavus, a fungus affected cells have a greenish, mouldy appearance some perforated and covered with a greenish layer in unsealed and sealed cells green-yellow, hard and shrunken none mouldy in advanced stage
Varroa disease Varroa jacobsoni, a mite scattered brood pattern; infestation greatest in drone brood discolored and sunken in sealed cells when heavily infected dead larvae decay; surviving adults are often deformed none, dead larvae and pupae easily removed by bees unpleasant, rotten in severe infestations

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