FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IX. 605 



queen larvae. It appears to be more virulent in the western part of the 

 United States than in the East. 



EUROPEAN FOUL BROOD. 



European foul brood (often called "black brood") is not nearly as 

 widespread in the United States as is American foul brood, but in cer- 

 tain parts of the country it has caused enormous losses. It is steadily 

 on the increase and is constantly being reported from new localities. 

 It is therefore desirable that bee keepers be on the watch for it. 



Adult bees in infected colonies are not very active, but do succeed 

 in cleaning out some of the dried scales. This disease attacks larvae 

 earlier than does American foul brood, and a comparatively small per- 

 centage of the diseased brood is ever capped. The diseased larvae which 

 are capped over have sunken and perforated cappings. The larvae when 

 first attacked show a small yellow spot on the body near the head and 

 move uneasily in the cell. When death occurs, they turn yellow, then 

 brown, and finally almost black. Decaying larvae which have died of 

 this disease do not usually stretch out in a long thread when a small 

 stick is inserted and slowly removed. Occasionally there is a very slight 

 "ropiness," but this is never very marked. The thoroughly dried larvae 

 form irregular scales which are not strongly adherent to the lower side 

 wall of the cell. There is very little odor from decaying larvae which 

 have died from this disease, and when an odor is noticeable it is not 

 the "glue-pot" odor of the American foul brood, but more nearly re- 

 sembles that of soured dead brood. This disease attacks drone and queen 

 larvae very soon after the colony is infected. It is as a rule much more 

 infectious than American foul brood and spreads more rapidly. On the 

 other hand, it sometimes happens that the disease will disappear of its 

 own accord, a thing which the author never knew to occur in a genuine 

 case of American foul brood. European foul brood is most destructive 

 during the spring and early summer, often almost disappearing in late 

 summer and autumn. 



Sacbrood. 



Fortunately sacbrood, which is commonly known by the name 

 pickled brood, is not serious and usually disappears within a short 

 time during or after the honey flow. Killing the old queen and 

 giving a new one to the infected colony is usually all that is 

 necessary with this disease. While the disease is not serious it 

 is mildly infectious and may be spread from one colony to an- 

 other. On two different occasions the state inspector has been 

 called long distances to see what was supposed to be foul brood 

 but what did in fact prove to be sacbrood. 



The following description of this disease is by Dr. G. F. White 

 of the United States Department of Agriculture. 



