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Uploaded byAbasaheb Garware College, Department of Zoology, Karve road. Pune-4
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Diseases of honey bees

This document discusses various diseases that affect honey bees, including protozoan, bacterial, fungal, viral diseases and disorders. It provides details on the causal agents, symptoms, stage of infection, and management for key diseases like Nosemosis, American Foulbrood, Chalkbrood, Thai Sac Brood, Acute Bee Paralysis, Varroasis and Colony Collapse Disorder. Effective management involves the use of antibiotics, grease patties, formic acid treatments, resistant bee breeds, and sterilization of equipment. Proper beekeeping practices are important to control honey bee diseases.

Education◦
Dr. Nirbhay Sudhir Pimple Department of Zoology Abasaheb Garware College
TYPES OF DISEASES : Protozoan -Nosema, Amoebic Bacterial- American and European Foul brood Fungal -Chalk brood, Stone brood Viral -Thai sac brood, Acute and Chronic bee paralysis Diseases caused by Mites viz. Acarosis (Tracheal mite) and Varroasis (Varroa mite) Disorder- Colony Collapse Disorders (CCD)
ACAROSIS (The Honey Bee Tracheal Mite) Also known as Acarine disease, Isle of Wight ( because it was observed in Isle of Wight in 1904). CAUSAL AGENT- honey bee tracheal mite, Acarapis woodi, a small parasitic mite. It affects mostly the trachea and body fluid. Nature of damage:- It infects worker, drone and queen honey bees. mites live and reproduce in trachea. They pierce the tracheal tube walls & feed on the hemolymph of the bees. feeding on blood & depositing their faeces in the passage. STAGE OF INFECTION:- adult
PLACEOF INFECTION: Trachea and body fluid MANAGEMENT:- Use of grease patties ( typically made from 1part vegetable shortenings mixed with 3-4parts powdered sugar) placed on top bars of the hive. Menthol allowed to vaporize from crystal form or mixed into the grease patties. Use of resistant hybrid bees known as Buckfast bee, developed by Brother Adam at the BuckfastAbbey. Cotton soaked in Methyl salcilate and placed under the hive in flat perforated lid. Destruction of affected colony. Smoke fumigation with Chlorobenzilate. Timeof Treatment: Spring and early summer
VARROASIS (The Varroa Mite) CAUSAL AGENT: Asiatic varroa mite, Varroa destructor. Symptoms: Varroa reproduce on honey bee pupae and feed on bee hemolymph. Varroa are also known to carry and vector bee viruses that are particularly damaging to the bees. Varroa infestations can cause irreversible damage to honey bees that can lead to honey bee colony losses. STAGEOF INFECTION: Larval
PLACEOF INFECTION: Body and body fluid i.e. haemolymph MANAGEMENT: Apivar: Apivar is effective against varroa mites, Apistan- resistant varroa mites, and Checkmite+ resistant varroa mites. Using 65% formic acid Mite Away Quick Strip (MAQS): MAQS is a 7-day, single application mite control product registered for use against varroa and tracheal mites. Time of control: Spring and early summer
PROTOZOANDISEASES
NOSEMOSIS (Nosema Disease) CAUSALAGENT: Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae. that infects the intestinal tractof adult bees. It is a serious adult disease. SYMPTOMS:- Bees become dysenteric with distened abdomen with faeces, shining and swollen abdomen. Affected worker bees have disjointed wings & are found crawling near the hiveentrance. On dissection of the infested bees, the mid intestine is seen swollen & dull greyish-white in colour as it is full of spores. Many bees loose body hairs. Hind gut is inflamed byprotozoa
STAGE OF INFECTION: Adult SITE OF INFECTION: Stomach MANAGEMENT:- Feed the affected colony with Entakon M @455mg/lt. Of sugar syrup at weeklyinterval. Sterilisation of brood boxes and frame hives with Glacial acetic acid fumes (soaked in cotton or rag at 120ml/hive) or 40% formalin fumes only after the queen and the beeshave transferred to new foundation combs. Time of Treatment:Spring & Winter
AMOEBICDISEASE: CAUSALAGENT: Malpighamoeba mellifeicae SITE OF INFECTION: malpighian tubules. SYMPTOMS: The bees get infected by ingesting the cysts which accumulate in the posterior end ofthe midgut or in therectum. The cysts get loose, swollen and enter the glassy malpighian tubules entering intestine and show faecal matter at thatplace. Mostly dominant in April and May. MANAGEMENT: Only way to control is by proper hygieneand by the disinfection of equipments by 2% carbolic acid. Transferring of bees to a fumigated box.
BACTERIALDISEASES
AMERICAN FOUL BROOD(AFB) (Dreadly disease) CAUSAL AGENT- Paenibacillus larvae larvae. It is the most widespread and destructive of the honey bee brood diseases. It affects queen, drone, and worker larvae alike. PLACEOF INFECTION –Gut SYMPTOMS- turn dark brown and later changes into sticky mass producing foul smell (Infected larvae darken and die) Dead Pupae Irregular and sunkenbrood
STAGEINFECTED –larvae MANAGEMENT –Hive to completely Use of antibiotics such as oxytetracycline hydrochloride (terramycin) and tylosin tartrate Dusting the combs with sulphathiazole powder Dipping the hive parts in hot paraffin wax or a 3%sodium hypochlorite solution(bleach) Burning of infested comb
EUROPEAN FOUL BROOD : CAUSALORGANISM-Melissococcus plutonius, Bacillus pluton (bacterium) PLACEOF INFECTION-Mid-gut SYMPTOMS – The diseased larvae turns yellow and then brown and the tracheal system becomes visible. Larvae dies in a coiled stage causing foul smell. Cells are poorly capped and mixed with normal cells.
STAGE INFECTED-Larvae MANAGEMENT- Use of oxytetracycline hydrochloride. The ‘Shook Swarm technique of bee husbandry can also be used to effectively control thedisease.
FUNGALDISEASES
CHALK BROOD (Kalkbrut disease): CAUSAL ORGANISM:Ascosphaera apis PLACEOF INFECTION:Gut SYMPTOMS :The fungus will consume the rest of the larva’s body, causing it to appearwhite and ‘chalky’. STAGE INFECTED:larvae MANAGEMENT:Prevent during wet spring .Transfer of healthy bees into another bee hive .Increase the ventilationthrough the hive.
STONE BROOD (Steinbrut disease): CAUSALORGANISM- Aspergillus fumigates, A. flavus and A. niger PLACEOF INFECTION-Alimentary canal SYMPTOMS – Dead larvae turn black and become difficult to crush, hence the name stonebrood Fungus erupts from the integument of the larva and forms a false skin and larvae are covered with powdery fungal spores STAGEINFECTED-Larvae and adults MANAGEMENT-Sterilization of the hivewith formaldehyde fumes
V I R A LDISEASES
THAI SAC BROOD. It is a serious brood disease of Apis ceranaindica caused by virus Morator aetatulus (Thai strain) during spring season. SYMPTOMS: Spotty brood appearance (pepper box.) capping tends to be darker, concave & punctured frequently. Dead larvae dry up in brood cell forming loose scale or saclike Brood die in pre pupal stage but in unsealed stage. Dead larvae lie on their back, tip of head capsule turned upward.
MANAGEMENT: Destruction of frame Maintenance of strong and vigorouscolony Sterilisation of beekeeping equipments with KMnO4 @50g/lit water followed by hot water dipping. Fumigation of hive by formic acid (85%) @ 5ml/hive Caging queen for 21days for creating broodlessness condition.
ACUTE BEE PARALYSIS: caused by acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV) and affects only the adults which only show signs oftrembling ,sprawled legs and wings . Occasionally ,they also exhibit partial hairlessness and in some case a black shinyappearance. The death rate may be high,but the disease may be mild or transient at times .Infected adults bees usally show the first symptom of acute paralysis in 2to 4days and then die within a day.
CHRONIC BEE PARALYSIS: caused by the chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) and the infected adult may take many days to die. Adult bees infected SYMPTOMS: the adults have a bloated abdomen, which is caused by the distension of the honey sac with liquid. They do not fly, instead they crawlon the ground, exhibiting an abnormal trembling motion of the wings and bodies. They become almost hairless, appearing dark or almost blackand shiny. Uninfected bees nibble at themand prevent their return to thecolony.
COLONY COLLAPSEDISORDER (CCD) CAUSALORGANISM- stresses, malnutrition, pathogens and genetically modified (GM)crops PLACEOF INFECTION - colony SYMPTOM–worker bees from a beehive colony abruptlydisappear STAGEINFECTED – worker bees MANAGEMENT – Exact causes are not known so following natural beekeeping practices.
General Treatments :
Diseases of honey bees
Diseases of honey bees