The bacteria of American foulbrood are hardy compared with the 

 average forms of germs. If they were not so hardy they would not be 

 able to continue the disease in spite of all adverse conditions to which 

 they are subjected in attempted control measures. This point is im- 

 portant because of its bearing upon the apparent disappearance of the 

 disease in the treated colonies and apriary and the unexplained ap- 

 pearance of the disease at a later time. 



The spores remain capable of producing bacteria for 30 or 40 years, 

 so that when the material is once contaminated it is exceedingly 

 difficult to say that all possible sources of re-contamination have been 

 eliminated. One must know how the disease works and appreciate 

 the dangers in handling infected material, in order to conduct a 

 proper fight against the spread of the disease. It is also necessary to 

 appreciate the ravages of the disease in order that one may be care- 

 ful arid use the necessary precautions in the treatment of the disease 

 and the disposal of infected material. 



Diagnostic Characters: The larvae which are infected with the 

 bacteria causing American foulbrood usually reach maturity and the 

 cells are capped. Death occurs, however, except in rare cases, before 

 the larvae have an opportunity to change to the pupal stage. The bac- 

 teria seem to require seven days to cause the death of the larvae. 

 Apparntly the bees are inquisitive to learn why certain sealed cells 

 are not giving forth adult bees. Consequently a tiny hole is gnawed 

 in the capping, which is all that is needed for the bees to tell the 

 condition inside. 



In the early stage of the disease the character which will attract 

 the attention of the beekeeper in the colony is sunken, discolored and 

 perforated caps on a few scattered cells thruout the brood area. If 

 these cells are examined early in the development of the disease, it 

 will be found that the larvae are discolored and appear a shade of 

 chocolate. If the examination is made in this stage the larvae can be 



tested with a 



toothpick or 



pointed match 



and it will be 



found that "the 



contents will 



"string" or "rope" 



as the match is 



withdrawn from 



the larvae. This 



condition is very 



typical of the dis- 

 ease. The odor 



which may be de- 

 tected from the 



dead larvae is 



supposed to be 



characteristic and 



is described as a 



"gluepot o d o r," 



but for one un- 

 familiar with the 



disease this char- 

 acter cannot be 



used exclusively. 

 If the disease 



has progressed Fig. i ■ Perforated cap of American foulbrood. 



