CIRCULAR No. 392 JULY 1936 \\J& 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 WASHINGTON, D. C. 



DIAGNOSING BEE DISEASES IN THE APIARY 



By C. E. Burxside, assistant apiculturist, and A. P. Stuktevant, associate 

 apiculturist, Division of Bee Culture, Bureau of Entomology and Plant 

 Quarantine 



CONTENTS 



Page 



Foreword - 1 



Importance of bee diseases and their recogni- 

 tion 1 



Brood diseases 2 



"What to observe when looking for brood 



diseases 2 



American foul brood __ 3 



European foulbrood 10 



Parafoulbrood 15 



Sacbrood • .__-_ 18 



Infection with two or more brood diseases. 20 



Fungous diseases of brood 23 



Diseases of adult bees 24 



What to observe when looking for diseases 



of adult bees 24 



Page 

 Diseases of adult bees — Continued. 



Nosema disease 25 



Acarine disease 27 



Septicemia 29 



Amoeba disease 30 



Fungous diseases of adult bees 31 



"Paralysis" 32 



Sending samples for laboratory examination. 33 



How to prepare samples of brood 33 



How to send samples of adult bees 34 



How to send samples of treated comb 34 



How to address samples 34 



FOREWORD 



Bees, like all other living creatures, are subject to diseases, and 

 their manner of living in crowded hives makes it almost inevitable 

 that any contagious disorder will spread within the hive or to other 

 colonies unless it is detected and the appropriate treatment given. 



Other publications of the Department furnish information on the 

 methods of treatment. This circular tells where to look and what 

 to notice in the examination of colonies for possible or suspected 

 disease. 



More than one disease may be present in a colony, therefore the 

 beekeeper should not discontinue the search on finding the symptoms 

 of one disease. Especially is it important that American foulbrood 

 be detected if it is present in the apiary. 



If the nature of the disease is not apparent, samples of brood 

 comb or the adult bees should be sent to the State apiary inspector 

 or the Bee Culture Laboratory of the Bureau of Entomology and 

 Plant Quarantine, National Agricultural Kesearch Center, Beltsville, 

 Md., as directed on page 34. 



IMPORTANCE OF BEE DISEASES AND THEIR 

 RECOGNITION 



Bee diseases are found throughout the United States wherever 

 bees are kept. These diseases cause large annual losses in bees, 

 honey, and equipment and very materially add to the cost of honey 



51309° — 36 1 l 



