48 



and that is the odour, while not exactly foul, resembles greatly that from a cabinet- 

 maker's glue-pot ; and when the disease is pretty well advanced in the hive, the odour 

 will make itself manifest upon lifting the cover or quilt, even before exposing the 

 brood. If other colonies are affected, and the disease spreads, it is probably American 



or ropy foul brood." 



European Foul Brood. 



The germs of this disease were first discovered in Europe, hence the name. The 

 appearance of this form of foul brood is thus described : — 



"Adult bees in affected 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 

 larvaj when first attacked show a small yellow spot 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 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 odour from decaying larvae which have died from this disease, and 

 when an odour is noticeable it is not the * glue-pot ' odour of American foul brood, but 

 more 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. European foul brood is most 

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



summer and autumn." 



Pickled Brood. 



This is the name given to a disease of the brood about which very little is at 

 present known. Many of the symptoms are very like those of European foul brood, 

 but the cause of death is supposed to be starvation, excess of heat or cold, or poison in 

 the food. We have seen that there may be a sudden stoppage of nectar at certain 

 seasons ; consequently, in a hive that is short of stores at such a time, thousands of the 

 young must literally starve to death. In extremely hot weather, when ventilation is 

 deficient, the inside temperature of the hive may become so hot as to cook the young 

 larvai ; on the other hand, a sudden drop in temperature will cause tlie bees to contract 

 their cluster, exposing many of the young so that they freeze to death. Then in the 

 fruit-bloom season some ranchers spray before the blossoms fall with a poisonous 

 solution, and, of course, the bees that visit such an orchard not only die of the poison, 

 but frequently are able to empty their load into the cells before succumbing. The 

 poisoned honey kills any brood to which it is fed. 



We see, therefore, that the presence of dead brood in a hive demands instant 

 consideration. The first question to be asked is, what is the likelihood of starvation ? 

 The condition of the stores should answer that. Next, has any one in the neighbourhood 

 been spraying blossoms with a poisonous mixture ? The bee-keeper should know by the 

 season, the number of dying bees round the hive, and the habits of his neighbours. In 

 the same way he will probably know the facts about recent temperatures. When the 

 disease is due to any of these causes the bees in due course clean out the cells, and 

 there is no trouble with subseciuent brood. Should, however, neither starvation, heat, 

 c»)ld, nor poison account for the condition, or should the diseased brood continue or 

 increase, then help should be solicited from tlie Department of Agriculture. As a 

 diseased hive weakens, bees from other hives rob it of its stores, thus conveying the 

 germs to all the hives in the vicinity. 



