Examining an Apiary for Disease. 



The diseases which cause the most damage in Ontario attack the 

 developing brood, causing much of it to die in the comb, and so reducing 

 it that the colony soon dwindles from lack of young bees to replace the 

 old. 



When examining an apiary for disease the prime consideration is 

 to avoid robbing. The best time is during a good honey flow as early 

 as possible in the season. 



It is necessary to have a good smoker, a hive tool for taking out 

 combs, and a supply of wooden toothpicks for testing the brood. 



In opening the hive just enough smoke should be used to keep the bees 

 in subjection. Remove each comb in turn from the brood-chamber and 

 examine the brood. It is best to sit on a box close to the hive with your 

 back to the sun, and hold the comb so it will shine into the cells, and 

 throw a strong light directly on the lower sides and bottoms of the cells. 

 If there is no disease, the empty cells will be bright and clean, and the 

 uncapped larvae will be plump in form and of a pearly white color. At 

 first a number of cells of capped brood should be opened with the pick, 

 until you are quite familiar with the outward appearance of healthy 

 capped brood. Cappings which to any but the best-trained eye appear 

 quite healthy often cover dead larvae. When diseased cells are present 

 they are quite frequently found around the lower edge of the comb. 

 If any of the brood cappings appear darker than the rest, or are flat, 

 sunken, or perforated, they should be opened to see whether the brood 

 they cover is dead. Healthy brood is sometimes found under flat, or per- 

 forated cappings ; but there is a difference in appearance which experience 

 soon teaches one to detect. Brood sometimes develops without ever being 

 fully capped ; this is not known to be an indication of infectious disease. 

 When each hive is finished the pick used there should be left in the 

 hive, and if any honey is daubed on hands or tools they ipust be washed 

 thoroughly before opening the next hive. 



[There are three brood diseases prevalent in the apiaries of Ontario ; 

 American Foul Brood, European Foul Brood, and Starved or Pickled 

 Brood. The first two are known to be infectious, the last is not so con- 

 sidered, although its cause is not well understood. 



Distribution op Disease. 



American Foul Brood is pretty evenly distributed over that portion 

 of Ontario lying south and west of the Trent Valley. It has cost the 

 Province of Ontario hundreds of thousands of dollars, not only in loss 

 of bees and honey, but in its disheartening effect on the men engaged 

 in the industry. Much, however, is being done, and more can and will 

 be done, by the Department of Agriculture towards restoring a well 

 grounded confidence in beekeeping as a business by various methods 

 of instruction. 



