402 
Beekeeping 
may fall away from the base (Fig. 167, e, g, 1). Later the 
color changes to a decided yellow or gray and the translu- 
cency is lost (Fig. 107, q, h). The yellow color may be taken 
as the chief characteristic of this disease. The dead larva 
appears as a moist, somewhat collapsed mass, giving the 
appearance of being melted. When the remains have become 
almost dry (Fig. 167, c) the tracheae sometimes become con¬ 
spicuous again, this time by retaining their shape, while the 
rest of the body content dries around them. Finally all 
that is left of the larva is a grayish-brown scale against the 
base of the cell (Fig. 167, /, h) or a shapeless mass on the 
lower side wall if the larva did not retain its normal position 
(Fig. 167, n, o ). Very few scales are black. The scales are 
not adhesive but are easily removed and the bees carry out 
a great many in their efforts to clean house. 
Decaying larva; which have died of this disease are usually 
not ropy as in American foul brood but a slight ropiness is 
sometimes observed. There is usually little odor in Eu¬ 
ropean foul brood, but sometimes in bad cases a sour odor is 
present, which reminds one of yeast fermentation. This 
disease attacks drone and queen larva; almost as quickly as 
those of the workers. 
European foul brood is more destructive during the spring 
and early summer than at other times, often entirely disap¬ 
pearing during late summer and autumn or during a heavy 
honey-flow. Italian bees seem to be better able to resist 
the ravages of this disease than any other race. The disease 
at times spreads with startling rapidity and is most destruc¬ 
tive. Where it is prevalent a considerably larger percentage 
of colonies is affected than is usual for American foul brood. 
This disease is variable in its symptoms and other manifes¬ 
tations and is often a puzzle to the beekeeper. Cause, 
Bacillus pluton. 
Sacbrood or pickled brood. 
In this disease the larva dies about the time of sealing. 
It usually lies on its back with the head turned upward. 
