402 Beekeeping 



may fall away from the base (Fig. 167, e, g, I). Later the 

 color changes to a decided yellow or gray and the translu- 

 cency is lost (Fig. 167, q, h). The yellow color may be taken 

 as the chief characteristic of this disease. The dead larva 

 appears as a moist, somewhat collapsed mass, giving the 

 appearance of being melted. When the remains have become 

 almost dry (Fig. 167, c) the tracheae sometimes become con- 

 spicuous again, this time by retaining their shape, while the 

 rest of the body content dries around them. Finally all 

 that is left of the larva is a grayish-brown scale against the 

 base of the cell (Fig. 167, /, h) or a shapeless mass on the 

 lower side wall if the larva did not retain its normal position 

 (Fig. 167, n, o). Very few scales are black. The scales are 

 not adhesive but are easily removed and the bees carry out 

 a great many in their efforts to clean house. 



Decaying larvae which have died of this disease are usually 

 not ropy as in American foul brood but a slight ropiness is 

 sometimes observed. There is usually little odor in Eu- 

 ropean foul brood, but sometimes in bad cases a sour odor is 

 present, which reminds one of yeast fermentation. This 

 disease attacks drone and queen larvae almost as quickly as 

 those of the workers. 



European foul brood is more destructive during the spring 

 and early summer than at other times, often entirely disap- 

 pearing during late summer and autumn or during a heavy 

 honey-flow. Italian bees seem to be better able to resist 

 the ravages of this disease than any other race. The disease 

 at times spreads with startling rapidity and is most destruc- 

 tive. Where it is prevalent a considerably larger percentage 

 of colonies is affected than is usual for American foul brood. 

 This disease is variable in its symptoms and other manifes- 

 tations and is often a puzzle to the beekeeper. Cause, 

 Bacillus pluton. 



Sacbrood or pickled brood. 



In this disease the larva dies about the time of sealing. 

 It usually lies on its back with the head turned upward. 



