Bee Diseases Flashcards
What is European Foul Brood?
Melisococcus plutonium
NOTIFIABLE
PRESENT IN UK
What doe EFB look like?
Shotgun pattern of cells
Dead larvae - brown/tan colour
How can you treat EFB?
Ask APHA for use of antimicrobials
‘Shook swarm’ for mild cases
(shake bees into new colony)
Burn larvae from old colony
If severe destroy whole colony
What is American Foul Brood?
Much worse than EFB
Paenibacillus larvae (Bacterial)
NOTIFIABLE
PRESENT IN UK
Test for AFB
‘Ropiness test’
Stick probe in affected cell - if sticky = +ve
PCR and lateral flow also available
Treatment for AFB
Destroy and burn colony and equipment
Can’t use antimicrobials
What is Tropilaelaps mite
parasitic mite
NOTIFIABLE
Not present in UK
Affects larvae and adults
What is the small hive beetle?
Aethina tumida
NOTIFIABLE
Not present in UK
Eat honey and cause production problems
Contaminate honey causing fermentation
Small hive beetle prevention
Good husbandry
What is varroa mite?
Reportable disease (no longer notifiable)
Present in UK
Vector for pathogens
colonies will die if untreated - can’t fly to forage
What is varroa a vector for?
Deformed wing virus
Treatments for varroa
Thymol
Oxalic/formic acid
Tau fluvainate
Amitraz
What is Nosema apis?
Microsporidian parasite (fungal)
Infects adult bees and reduces honey yield
