Brood Disease

[Denon Carpenter]

Hi. I checked my hives yesterday and found a small problem/disease in one of my strongest hives with the brood. The brood pattern is not spotty, but I have noticed scattered, various dead brood of different shades and color. Some are dried, some are discolored, and others were a little "rotten". This hive has been healthy all year and 2 weeks ago when I checked there was no disease present.

I did have a problem with European Foulbrood with one hive in early May, but destroyed that weak hive and all the equipment before I even obtained this hive which was created from a split off a different colony.

It does in some ways look like a Foulbrood infestation, but I always have heard that this was a disease that usually only affected weak hives at not usually at the peak of summer.

I was wondering if a strong mite infestation could cause this. I use screened bottom boards and have done powdered sugar dusting throughout the season.

I know I can send a sample of the comb to the Beltsville lab for testing, but was wondering if anyone knew if mites could cause brood to appear this way.

I guess it points the evidence away towards a mite infestation, but all of the affected brood cells are before they are capped. If I am right mites only reprodcue in capped cells. I wasn't sure if a heavy infestation could affect uncapped larva

[beemandan]

I did have a problem with European Foulbrood with one hive in early May, but destroyed that weak hive and all the equipment before I even obtained this hive

A bit of an overreaction, I'd say. Requeening with better stock is often sufficient.

I had some hives a few years ago that had a brood disease that was similar to EFB. Replacement queens from historically hygienic stock didn't help. I treated them with terramycin. It cleared up the symptoms for about three months. Then it came back. Having meddled with this handful of hives for a season and a half I decided to shake them out, destroy the comb and since it seemed site selective, I planned to abandon that location. I went to each hive and, lo and behold, they were all booming with beautiful brood....symptoms all gone. I've talked to another local beekeeper who had a similar experience.

I recently read a thread on Australian Mud (Muck) Disorder here and after reading the study, I've wondered if my bees didn't have something similar.
https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/downloads/04-152

[Velbert]

Yes this could be caused by V-mites It is called vpms it is a virus brought on by having v-mites it usually will show up about now or what i have seen and the mite does not have to get on the bee larva. and Terrimician/powdersugar will help clear it up.

first time i encountered it in a bad way got out at my bee yard had 6-7 hives in this yard as i walked around i could smell a faint sour Oder they were 2-3 day larva dead kind of a brown color, at first i thought it was EFB.

medicated heavy with tm/powdersugar it i cleared them up