28 ARKANSAS EXPERIMENT STATION 



European foul brood attacks drone larvae and queen larvae 

 as well as worker larvae. It is a disease that generally attacks 

 weak or failing colonies. Some races of bees, such as the three- 

 banded Italian, are able to resist the disease; others are not. 

 The black, or German, bees are known to succumb very readily 

 to the disease. It has been claimed that Carniolans are as resis- 

 tant as Italians; apparently this statement needs further proof. 



Treatment of European foul brood. Since this disease at- 

 tacks weak colonies and especially certain races of bees, the 

 building up of strong colonies consisting of resistant strains is 

 recommended for treating as well as for preventing European 

 foul brood. 



It is suggested therefore, that colonies infected with Euro- 

 pean foul brood be united so as to make strong colonies, and 

 requeened with good Italian stock. 



Other Brood Disease.s. Sacbrood. When affected with this 

 disease the larvae die at about the time of sealing. The color of 

 the dead larvae varies from yellow to brown or even black. The 

 body is distended and the contents are watery during a certain 

 period of the decay. There is no ropiness, and no character- 

 istic odor. The disease seldom causes any very serious losses in 

 the apiary, and as a rule the colonies recover without any treat- 

 ment. The important consideration in regard to sacbrood there- 

 fore is that it is easily mistaken for American foul brood and the 

 treatment is administered when it is entirely unnecessary. 



Young b8e larvae may die from other causes. If in the 

 spring the honey flow suddenly gives out some of the brood may 

 starve. If the beekeeper manipulates the combs carelessly and 

 spreads the brood too much early in the season some of the brood 

 may get chilled and the dead larvae will bear some resemblance 

 to those affected with foul brood. Chilling the brood may also 

 take place when the frames are handled on cold and windy days 

 during early spring. 



Diseases of Adult Bees. Dysentery is the only common 

 trouble affecting adult bees. It appears generally in winter or 

 early spring in those colonies that have winter stores consist- 

 ing of honey dew or other such material which the bees cannoi; 

 digest well. 



ENEMIES OF BEES 

 Wax Moth. This is often known as "moths." The caterpil- 

 lars or "worms" of these moths are commonly found in combs 

 of weak colonies and combs that have been stored awav The 

 damage caused by the "worm" consists in tunneling thru the 

 combs and destroying the brood that may be in the wav The 

 full grown caterpillar is about an inch long and yellowish white 

 m color. When mature these caterpillars spin a silken cocoon 



