11 



holding them over the fire for a few seconds, on a fork or long stick. 

 Boxes may also be treated in this manner or else piled one on top of the 

 other sprinkled inside with coal oil or gasoline and ignited. The flame 

 may be extinguished by placing a cover on the top box, thus excluding the 



air. 



7. All dead bees and other debris that might carry infection should 

 be scraped into the fire. When everything has burned down to an ash, 

 fill the hole in thoroughly. 



8. Hive tools should be disinfected with fire and the hands washed 

 with soap and water before examining other colonies. 



Disease in Super Combs 



Chemical treatments such as the use of formalin, chlorine, etc., which 

 where once recommended for diseased super combs have been definitely 

 proven unsatisfactory. If a beekeeper is suspicious of his super combs 

 the best practice is to render them into wax and have it made into 

 foundation. The actual cost of this procedure is not great and it is 

 considered sound economy by many successful beekeepers. 



EUROPEAN FOULBROOD 



Less than forty years ago this disease caused the beekeeping industry 

 considerable anxiety. It spread with remarkable rapidity, wiping out 

 whole apiaries. Today beekeepers have learned that it can be easily 

 controlled by keeping the colonies strong and using resistant Italian stock. 

 It is no longer a menace to the industry. 



(a) Symptoms 



The appearance of larvae dead of European Foulbrood varies consid- 

 erably and the symptoms are more variable than those of American 

 Foulbrood. Always keep in mind the appearance of healthy brood when 

 inspecting for indications of disease. 



Appearance of comb. The presence of many uncapped cells, contain- 

 ing disease larvae in the early stage of development, gives the comb a 

 spotted irregular appearance. Should the majority of larvae die at a 

 later stage of development after the cells are sealed, the cappings are 

 sunken, perforated and decidedly greasy in appearance. 



Time of death. All larvae die before the transformation to the pupal 

 period. About ninety percent die one or two days before the cell is 

 capped. Probably ten percent die the first or second day after capping, 

 i.e. when the larva is beginning to straighten out in the cell preparatory 

 to its transformation to the pupa. Occasionally an outbreak of European 

 Foulbrood takes place where colony after colony contains larvae most of 

 which are attacked at this later stage. This type is often confused with 

 American Foulbrood. The variability displayed in time of death makes 

 diagnosis more difficult. In typical European Foulbrood, however, the 

 cell is uncapped. 



