American foulbrood: characteristic signs, diagnosis and treatment

Under the American foulbrood understand an infectious pathology that is associated with infection with the bacillus larve. It infects worker bees, queens, adult larvae and rapidly spreads through the apiary. If measures are not taken in time, the probability of death of bee colonies is high. Therefore, at the first symptoms of pathology, it is required to send samples of honeycombs and bees to the laboratory.

Description of disease

American foulbrood is a complex infectious pathology of closed brood bees. Infected families are difficult to treat and die. The pathogens are characterized by a high degree of stability.They are stored for a long time in beehives, honey, soil, pollen, on tools. Even after treatment, outbreaks of infection are possible. Because American foulbrood refers to malignant diseases.

Causes and symptoms of foulbrood in bees

Bacterial spores can enter the hive in a variety of ways. The following leads to this:

• stealing bees;
• using old combs, tools, beehives;
• buying bee packages that contain infected bees;
• spread of spores by moths, wasps, ants, earwigs;
• feeding with infected honey;
• use foundation that has not been properly heat treated;
• presence of bacteria in other apiaries during the summer of bees;
• spreading spores on hands, chisels and other tools.

After drying, the corpse of the larva is fixed at the bottom of the cell. The bees can't clean it out, so the source of the disease is kept in the comb.

Bacterial spores develop well at a temperature of +37 degrees. Therefore, most often infection occurs in July. At first, diseased larvae cannot be distinguished from he althy ones, as they concentrate in sealed cells. Their changes will be visible later. Characteristic signs will appear when the disease affects part of the brood.

The incubation period is 2-7 days. The first 3 days the larvae are protected by the bactericidal properties of milk. Then there is an active spread of spores. The death of the larvae occurs at the prepupal stage - after the sealing of the cell. It acquires a brown tint and exudes the smell of wood glue.In addition, the head of the larva pulls the lid of the cell down, which leads to the formation of a hole. Combs with affected brood become mottled.

Varieties

Foulbrood is considered a dangerous pathology that can have several varieties. Each of them has certain features.

American

This is the most dangerous form of foulbrood. It is called malignant. This kind of pathology leads to a loss of productivity at the level of 80%. The complete extinction of the family takes 2 years.

Peak activity of infectious agents occurs in late spring and summer. In this case, the infected larvae die in closed cells. Bacterial spores are resistant to adverse factors. On the corpses of larvae, they can remain viable for 30 years.

European

The difference between this type of disease is that it affects the larvae of open brood 3-4 days old. With the rapid development of the infection, there is a risk of damage and sealed brood.

Infected individuals lose segmentation and become straw-yellow. Then there is a sour smell. Dead individuals first become viscous, and then dry out. At the same time, it is easier to remove them than with an American infection. European foulbrood can infect queen and drone larvae.

The peak of the spread of infection is observed in the spring and summer. During the period of honey harvesting, the incidence decreases slightly. At this time, the bees are more active in cleaning their cells.

Parafoul

This is a less dangerous form of pathology. Parabroiler provokes the defeat of older larvae. Most often it develops in the highlands with a cool climate. The dead larvae are odorless, dry quickly and are easily removed.

Usually the brood dies in a sealed cell. Much less often this happens in the open. The main signs of pathology include the following:

• increased motor activity of diseased pupae;
• unnatural position of affected individuals;
• dark colored sealed caps;
• conical depression in the center of the bulge;
• missing a hole characteristic of American foulbrood;
• Easy to pull dry pupae out of cells.

Diagnosing the problem

To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct an epizootological examination of the apiary, study the clinical picture of the disease and perform laboratory tests. In this case, it is necessary to analyze the cut out honeycombs measuring 10x15 centimeters. Most often, diagnosis is carried out by PCR.

Treatment of disease in bees

To cope with the pathology, it is important to start treating it as soon as possible. In this case, it is worth using special preparations.

Pharmacy products

It is best to treat bee colonies for foulbrood in June. In this case, the affected insects can take part in the main nectar. With a strong defeat of the bee colony, you have to get rid of it. Formaldehyde is used to kill insects. Shattered specimens must be burned.

For the treatment of foulbrood in bees, antibiotics and sulfonamides are required. Most often, sulfantrol or norsulfazole sodium is used for this purpose. Medicines must be mixed with sugar syrup. To calculate the dosage, it is worth considering the number of families that need help.

The calculation is based on the amount of sugar syrup. For 1 street, you need to use 100-150 grams of the substance. When spraying from a spray gun, 100-150 grams of the product is used per 1 frame. The amount of the drug per 1 liter of syrup must be calculated according to the instructions.

Folk methods

It is impossible to cope with rotten folk remedies. However, some beekeepers use celandine for this purpose. After the completion of the last pumping of honey, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatment of the hives with herbal infusion.

To make it, you need to take 100 grams of fresh grass for 2 liters of boiling water. The components must be mixed and left to infuse for half an hour. Then the composition must be poured into the sprayer and used to treat the bees and working surfaces of the hives.

Driving

To combat foulbrood, families must be relocated. The haul has 2 varieties:

1. With starvation. In this case, you need to shake off all the bees into the hive, cover the notch with a grate and put it in a dark room. Fasting is aimed at the complete consumption of honey in the goiter of insects, since spores may be present in it.Bees during this period hang under the lid. When the insects start to fall, they are moved to a clean hive.
2. No fasting. In this case, the hive needs to be removed, and the bees should be shaken onto paper. In this case, the uterus must be removed from the family. With enough he althy brood, it is placed in a new colony. At the same time, the notches need to be closed and food provided to the bees. A week later, the queen cells are broken out. When the brood appears, the colony must be moved to a disinfected hive.

Disease prevention

To avoid the development of pathology, it is recommended to follow these rules:

• to detect the disease in time;
• do not give bees honey of unknown origin;
• protect he althy apiaries from infected ones;
• collect and burn dead bees;
• keep bees in clean hives.

American foulbrood is a serious pathology that can lead to dangerous consequences and the complete death of bees. To cope with the disease, it is important to take action in time.

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