DIAGNOSING BEE DISEASES IN THE APIARY 



23 



FUNGOUS DISEASES OF BROOD 

 CAUSES 



111 addition to the diseases previously described, diseases of the 

 brood of bees are caused by several different fungi. The most com- 

 mon of these are species of Aspergillus, In this country A. -flavus 

 attacks brood more frequently than other fungi. In Europe a fun- 

 gus known as Pericystis apis causes a disease of brood known as 

 "chalk brood." This fungus does not occur in North America. 



IMPORTANCE 



Normally only slight losses of brood are^ caused by fungous dis- 

 eases. The small amount of brood that is killed is removed prompt- 







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f-i I ■ 1 - 



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',v:.... 



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Figure 15. — Brood comb artificially inoculated with Aspergillus flavus, a fungus that kills 

 the brood of bees. Dead larvae of different ages can be seen in the cells. 



ly by the worker bees and is rarely noticed by the beekeeper. Brood 

 is most likely to become infected when moisture collects in the hive 

 late in the winter and early in the spring, permitting fungi to grow 

 over the combs. 



AGE OF BROOD AND RACES OF BEES AFFECTED 



Brood of all ages, and alsoi adult bees, are susceptible to fungous 

 diseases. After the feeding period is passed, however, and the cells 

 have been capped, brood is less likely to become infected. All the 

 races of bees common in this country are susceptible. 



