378 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



but there are certain distine^uishing- 

 characters which make it possible to 

 differentiate the two. Reports are 

 sometimes received that a colony is 

 infected with both diseases at the same 

 time, but this is contrary to the experi- 

 ence of those persons most conversant 

 with these conditions. While it may 

 be possible for a colony to have the in- 

 fection of both diseases at the same 

 time, it is not by any means the rule, 

 and such cases are not authentically 

 reported. Since both diseases are 

 caused by specific bacilli, there is 

 absolutely no g'round for the idea held 

 by some bee keepers that chilled or 

 starved brood will turn to one or the 

 other of these diseases. Experience of 

 the best practical observers is also in 

 keeping with this. For a discussion of 

 the causes of these diseases the 

 reader is referred to Technical Series, 

 No. 14, of the Bureau of Entomology, 

 "The Bacteria of the Apiary, with 

 Special Reference to Bee Diseases." 

 by Dr. G. F. While. 



AMERICAN FOUL BROOD. 



American foul brood (often called 

 simply, "foul brood") is distributed 

 through all parts of the United States, 

 and from the symptoms published in 

 European journals and texts one is led 

 to believe that it is also the prevalent 

 brood disease in Europe. Although it 

 is found in almost all sections of the 

 United States, there are many locali- 

 ties entirely free from disease of any 

 kind. 



The adult bees of an infected colony 

 are usually rather inactive and do little 

 toward cleaning out infected material. 

 When the larvae are first affected they 

 turn to a light chocolate color, and in 

 the advanced stages of decay they be- 

 come darker, resembling roasted 

 coffee in color. Usually the larvae are 

 attacked at about the time of capping, 

 and most of the cells containing in- 

 fected larvae are capped. As decay 

 proceeds these cappings become sunken 

 and perforated, and, as the healthy 

 brood emerges, the comb shows the 

 scattered cells containing larvae which 

 have died of disease, still capped. 

 The most noticeable characteristic of 

 this infection is the fact that when a 

 small stick is inserted in a larva which 

 has died of the disease, and slowly 

 renioved, the broken down tissues 

 adhere to it and will often stretch out 

 for several inches before breaking. 

 When the larva dries it forms a tightly 



adhering scale of very dark brown 

 color, which can best be observed when 

 the comb is held so that a bright light 

 strikes the lower side wall. Decaying 

 larvae which have died of this disease 

 have a very characteristic odor which 

 resembles a poor quality of glue. This 

 disease seldom attacks drone or queen 

 larvae. It appears to be much 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 wide- 

 spread in the United States as is 

 American foul brood, but in certain 

 parts of the country it has caused 

 enormous losses. It is steadily on 

 the increase and is constantly being re- 

 ported 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 percentage 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. Occa- 

 sionally there is a very slight "ropi- 

 ness, " 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 "g-hie-pot" odor 

 of the American foul brood, but more 

 nearly resembles 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 dis- 

 appear 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 



