6 FOUL BROOD. 



Foul brood is a disease of bees conimon in all parts of the State of 

 Michigan and one which is fast ruining a most pleasant and profitable 

 industry. It spreads through an apiary, affecting the strongest as well 

 as the \^eakest colonies, because it is one of those malignant and con- 

 tagious diseases due to the presence of a germ called by the scientists 

 bacillus alvei. Adult bees are sujipose^Lto h& beyond the reach of this 

 germ, and the disease is therefore confined to la>v1e between the ages 

 of one and ten days. Just how this young larva becomes affected is 

 not definitely known. It may be through contagion from the diseased 

 comb or brood which contagion is brought to the young larvie by the 

 nurse bees, but in all probability the germ is introduced with the food. 

 It has been said that foul brood develops from chilled or starved 

 brood. This has been proven beyond a doubt not to be true. Since 

 it is a germ disease it cannot develop when the germ which causes it 

 is not present. On the other hand, the disease is so highly infectious 

 that one drop of infected honey may ruin a whole apiary. 



SYMPTOMS. 



The first apparent evidence of the presence of the disease manifests 

 itself in the behavior of the bees which do not seem to possess their 

 usual activity but have a lazy, indolent manner. There is .apt to be 

 some litter in the entrance of the hive as though the bees were loath to 

 "clean house." A few bees may fan at the entrance. After the disease 

 is well advanced a foul smell resembling melting glue may be detected 

 without removing the cover even, and at some little distance from the 

 hive. 



On removing the cover an examination of an infected colony reveals 

 the following peculiarities: The brood is not compact, but scattered. 

 The empty cells, those not containing brood, may contain a dry scale 

 in the bottom. The cappings over the dead larvae are depressed slightly 

 and darker than the healthy ones. There is often a hole in the center 

 of the cap. Many larvae, however, die before the cell is sealed. 



If the examination is made when the disease is just beginning, the 

 affected larvag are no longer curled up, but either lie extended in the 

 cell or are moving about unnaturally. As the disease progresses they 

 lose their plump appearance, become flabby and finally die. 



As decomposition begins the larvae at first take on a yellowish appear- 

 ance, and later turn brown. If a toothpick is inserted into the dead 

 larva at this time and later and is slowly drawn out it will show 

 a long, ropy tenacious string, which upon breaking, when drawn out 

 to its fullest extent, flies back into the cell. This ropy, putrid mass 

 slowly dries down and adheres to the bottom of the cell, forming a 

 small scale. The bees seem reluctant to remove these dead larvae, 

 instead of hastening their removal as they do in other instances when 

 larvae die. Or it may be that the dead larvae adhere so firmly to 

 the cell that it is impossible for the bees to remove them. Whatever 

 the cause may be, when the larvtB are killed by this disease they are 

 not removed. 



As a result of the disease the colony becomes weakened since the 

 brood fails to hatch, and soon dwindles down to such an extent that 

 it is utterly defenseless and is then liable to be robbe(i. As soon as 



