Beneficial Insects

1. Course In-Charge
Mr.S.Srinivasnaik
Assistant Professor
Department of Entomology
Lecture No.6
PESTS AND DISEASES OF HONEY BEES
ENTO 332 (1+1):Management of Beneficial Insects

3. BEE PESTS AND DISEASES
Honey bees like all other creatures suffer from many diseases and
attacked by several insect pests and other natural enemies.

4. BEE PESTS AND DISEASES
1. Greater Wax moth, Galleria mellonella (Galleridae family)
2. Lesser wax moth, Achroia grisella, (Family: Pyralidae; Order :
Lepidoptera)
3. Ants: Black ant, Componotus compressus, house hold red ant,
Dorylus labiatusand Manomorium Spp.
4. Wasps: Yellow banded hornet, Vespa cincta, bee hunter wasp,
Philanthus ramakrishnae
5. Wax beetles: Platyboliumalvearium (Tenebrionidae)
6. Death’s head moth,Acherontia styx (enters hive and consumes
honey).
7. Other insects: Preying mantids, Robberflies, Dragonflies (capture
bees and feed upon them), cockroaches (impart foul smell to the
hive), white ants (damage wooden parts of hive).
8. Birds: Small green eater, Merops orientalis, king crow,
Dicrurusmacrocerous, Black drongo, Dirurus adsimilis.
9. Frogs, Toads and Garden lizards.
10. Monkeys, Macacamullata

5. GREATER WAX MOTH
• It enjoys world wide distribution, but it is rear in high attitudes. It is one of the
most important enemies of the bee causing serious damage particularly to weak
colonies where the number of bees are not sufficient enough to cover all the combs.
The adult moth is brownish grey in colour, 10-15 mm long and the outer margins of
the forewingsof the male have semi-circular notch whereas they are smooth in females.
Adult female moths enters the hive during night and lay eggs in the cracks and crevices
of the hive and comb. About 200-800 eggs are laid in batches during a fortnight time,
the eggs are creamy white in colour and hatch in 8-10 days into a tiny white caterpillar
about 3 mm long. Full grown caterpillar is dirty grey in colour, cylindrical, smooth and
about 2.5 cm long. Larval period extends over a moth. Pupation takes place is a white
silken cocoon among the debris of the comb. Pupal period is about 8 days.

6. GREATER WAX MOTH
The caterpillars live in the silken tunnels made by them and feed on the
propolis, pollen and wax in the comb. As they penetrate the wax layers,
particles of wax are dislodged and fall into the cells and in the hive. The
presence of loose dislodged particles in the hive is the first symptom of
attack. When the infestation is serious the comb is seen covered with silken
webs with numerous black faecal particles. In such cases the bees abandon
the colony.

12. LESSER WAX MOTH
Lesser wax moth adults are approximately 10-12mm long and have slender bodies.
Generally,males are smaller than females.Their coloration ranges from silver-gray and they havea
prominent yellow head.Adult females lay eggs in protected crevices near a food source.Eggs hatch
in 5-8 days.Larval development may take between one and five months.Larvae tunnel through bees
wax comb spinning tunnels of silk,which they coverin fross(feces).Pupae canIt is seen in
comparatively higher attitudes. The caterpillars feed mainly on the debris of the combs. They decap
the sealed cells exposing pupae inside and this diseased condition is referred to as bald brood.
The lesser wax moth is a secondary pest of honey bee colonies, it can only become a nuisance to
colonies that are weakened already by other factor(s), such as a failing queen, pathogens, poor
nutrition, and/or primary pests like Varroa and small hive beetles. Lesser wax moth larvae may
cause a disorder called bald brood. Bald brood occurs when the larvae tunnel under the capped
cells of honey bee pupae. Worker bees find the damaged cappings and chew away what remains
of the cap, exposing the developing honey bee pupae

15. MANAGEMENT
Management:
•Maintain the colony strong to resist wax moth.
•Keep the hives without cracks and crevices.
•Reduce the hive entrance size for effective guarding.
•Keep the bottom board neat and clean debris.
•Extra combs stored should be fumigated with methyl bromide/paradichloro
benzene (PDB) or Sulphur.
•In the store rooms, the spare combs should be stored in tightly closed
containers.

16. ANTS
3.Ants: They attack week colonies and carry away the honey, pollen and the brood.
Attack by ants in week colonies result in destruction and end of the colony. Ex: black
ant- Componotus compressus
Management:
•Providing ant pans around the bases of the stand or oil bands over the stands.
•Under ground ant nests are eliminated by pouring 0.1% cypermethirin emulsion

20. WASPS
4.Wasps: The yellow banded wasp is a large wasp with a broad transverse yellow band
on the abdomen. It is a social insect constructing papers nests in hollow spaces. It waits
near the entrance of the hive, catches bees as they come out, macerates them for feeding
the juice to its young. It captures bees in the field also.
Management:
•Reducing the width of the alighting board of hive to prevent sitting of wasp near the
entrance.
•Destroy wasp nests by burning them.

22. WAX BEETLES
5.Wax beetles: It is found in the hives under unhygienic conditions feeding on the
debris and old combs in weak colonies. Periodical examination of empty combs and
regular cleaning of the bottom board will control it.

25. OTHER NATURAL ENEMIES
6.Birds: The small green bee-eater, M. orientalis is quite often seen near apiaries
sitting on tall grasses, telephone wires or other vantage points As soon as it sees a flying
bee, it swoops at her and catches her in the long sharp beak eating birds.
A polythene sheet is tied to a long pole and placed in the center of the field near
apiaries. As the sheet flaps and flutters in the breeze, the sound that produced wards off
the birds, use of Acetyl guns mechanical device where in acetylene gas is produced by
the action of water on calcium carbide and the sound scares the birds.
7.Toads, Frogs and Lizards: Toads and frogs are wide spread in India and are
seen near hives or water bodies and cause damage to honey bees. The lizards often sit at
the hive entrance and catch honey bees at ease.

26. DISEASES OF HONEY BEES
Various diseases are caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoans and
mites both in adult bees and their larvae. Most of these diseases are infectious.
The general symptoms of these diseases are much alike irrespective of casual
agent. The diseased bees are unable to fly more than a few yards, crawl on the
ground, climb blades of grass and collect in small groups in front of the hive.
The colony gets weakened in strength in course of time. In case of brood
diseases the larvae are killed, get decomposed. India was free from the
diseases till 1956 when Acarine disease (mite) was first observed in Punjab and
American Foul Brood in U.P. in 1960. These diseases were probably introduced
into the country along with Italian bee.

27. DISEASES OF HONEY BEES
•Brood diseases:
•American Foul Brood (AFB): Caused by bacteria, Bacillus larvae.
•European Foul Brood (UFB): Caused by bacteria, Melissococcus plutori
•Sac brood disease : Caused by virus, Moratus aetatulus
•Thai Sac brood disease: caused by Thai sac brood virus
•Chalk board disease: Caused by fungus, Ascospheara apis
•Adult Diseases:
•Nosema disease: Caused by protozoan, Nosema apis
•Acarine disease: Caused by tracheal mite, Acarapis woodi

28. AMERICAN FOUL BROOD
•Bacillus larvae is a rod-shaped bacteria and is a gram positive, it forms oval
endospores. These are very resistant to heat and chemical disinfectants.
Symptoms: It is a disease of larvae which almost always kills them after they spun
cocoons and stretched out on their backs with their head towards the cell cappings, with
their tongue protruding upwards towards the centre of the cell. Diseased brood turns
brown in colour, decomposes to a sticky, semi fluid mass and give off a strong smell
like fish glue. After about a month the larvae dry down to form a dark brown scale,
which sticks to the bottom wall of the cell and is very difficult to remove The cappings
over infected larvae sink inwards, then cell fully open. If a matchstick is inserted into
the larval remains draws out the brown, semi-fluid that remains in a ropy thread.

30. MANAGEMENT
Management:
•Maintain strong and vigorous colonies by uniting weaker ones.
•During dearth period the colonies should be provided artificial feeding or
shifted to areas with rich bee pasturage.
•De queering for a fe w days followed by re-queening with healthy vigorous
queen which will remove the infected brood.
•Isolate the infected colonies and avoid exchange of combs or equipments.
•Equipments should be sterilized using formalin or carbolic acid.
•Destroy diseased colonies by burning if the infection is detected in early
stages.
•Don’t catch and hive stray swarms which may be carrying infection.
•Chemotherapy: Sodium sulphathiazole @ 0.5 – 1.5 g in 5-15 litres to strong
sucrose syrup fed to colony or oxytetracyclin (Terramycin) @ 0.25 – 0.4g in 5
liters of syrup.

31. EUROPEAN FOUL BROOD DISEASE
•Disease is caused by Melissococcus pluton, a gram positive bacterium that
does not produce spores, but the vegetative cells may remain infective for
several years.
Symptoms: It is a disease of larvae of 4 – 5 days old. The diseased larvae turn
yellow and them brown, at which time the tracheal system may become quite
visible. The larvae decompose, they melt down in the bottom of cell and often
some time the remains dry out to form a scale .The scales are rubbery rather
than brittle as with European Foul Brood and they are much easier to remove

32. THAI SAC BROOD VIRUS
This is a virus disease (TSBV) introduced through A. mellifera. Symptoms of
the disease are: death of brood in the pupal cells, pupae with stretched heads
towards the opening tip of the head protruded, pupae turn to Sac like structure
and changed colour. Burning of the infected hive is advocated.
•Keep the colonies strong
•Avoid exchange of hive parts and
•Restrict the bee movement

35. SAC BROOD VIRUS
Infected larvae fail to pupate and lie stretched on their back with head turned
upwards.Larvae become sac like due to filling of fluid between new integument and
unshedskin.Colour ofl arvae turns pale yellow and finally become dark brown,the
darkening starts from head.

37. Chalk Brood disease: This disease is caused by fungus Ascosphaeraapis.
This disease is called as chalk brood because the diseased larvae often turn
into “mummies” to which the mycelium of the fungus gives white appearance.
Young larvae are effected and the death usually occurs within 2 days of the cell
being sealed. This disease is usually not serious and appears to be a stress
related disease. There is no particular smell associated with this disease.
2..Stonebrood(Asperigillusflavous):Stonebroodisanotherfungaldiseasethataff
ectsthehoneybees.Larvaethatdiedbecauseofthisdiseasearemummifiedlikethoset
hathavediedbecauseofchalkbrood.However,thestonebrooddiseasemakestheinfe
ctedindividualsgreenoryellow.Themummiesaresolid,hardtocrushandtheydonoth
avethespongeappearancetypicalforthechalkbrooddisease

40. •Avoid moisture accumulation and poor ventilation since cold and damp weather
conditions encourage the development of disease.
•Chemotherapic treatment: Thymol 0.7%, Amphotericin B, Cetyl Trimethyl ammonium,
sorbic acid and sodium propionate fed to bees in pollen sugar controls infection.

41. .Nosema disease: Causal agent is Nosema apis is a microscopic protozoan. It
multiplies exclusively within the epithelial cells of adult bees. Infected bees becomes
dysenteric with distended and swollen abdomenwith disjointed wings and found
crawling in front of the hive.
Management:
•More colony strength with sufficient brood food stores and open sunny sites helps in
overcoming the incidence.
•Combs with no honey and pollen can be disinfected with formalin or acetic acid as
done for EFB disease.
Feed bees with antibiotic – fumigallin @ 0.5 – 3 mg/100 ml syrup.

42. Acarine disease (Isle of Wight disease): Caused by endoparasitic mite (Acarapis
woodi) in adult bees. It infests the trachea of first thorasic spiracle where they suck
haemolymph.
Symptoms:
•Presence of bee crawlers at the hive entrance.
•Bees are unable to fly and wings are disjointed.
•Infested adult bees are short lived.
Management:
•Dusting with sulpur @ 1 gr/comb.
•Menthol and formic acid vapours can be used.
•Absorbent card board is soaked in liquid formic acid and is placed as the floor of the
colony, repeat at seven days interval twice.
The other two mites which infect honey bees are Varroa jacobsoni,Tropilaelaps
clarea and can be seen with naked eye. They feed and breed on the brood and
are seen on all the developmental stages. The colony strength is reduced to a
handful bees which ultimately abscond with their queen. Smoke fumigation with
chlorobenzilate is the most effective

53. REFERENCES:
•Abrol, D.P.2010. Bees and Bee keeping in India. Kalyani Publishers, Ludhiana. Pp450
•David, B.V and Kumara Swami, T. 2016. Elements of Economic Entomology, Popular Book
Depot, Madras. Pp536
•Ganga, G and Sulochana Chetty, J. 2008. An introduction to sericulture. Oxford and IBH
Publishing Co.Pvt.Ltd., New Delhi. Pp160
•Gautam, R.D.2008. Biological Pest Suppression
•Ghorai, N. 1995. Lac culture in India. International Books & Periodicals Supply Service.
•Jolly, M.S. 1987. Appropriate sericulture techniques . International center for training and
research in tropical sericulture, Mysore. Pp209
•Krishnaswami, S., Narasimma, M.N., Suryanarayan, S.K and Kumararaj,S. 1995. Silkworm
Rearing. Sericulture Manual 2. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co.Pvt.Ltd., New Delhi. Pp150
•Mishra, R.C.1995. Honeybees and their management in India. ICAR, New Delhi.
•Patnaik, R.K.2008. Mulberry Cultivation
•Rangaswami, G., Narasimhanna, M.N., Kasiviswanatham, K., Sastry, C.R and Jolly, M.S. 1995.
Mulberry Cultivation. Sericulture Manual 2. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co.Pvt.Ltd.,New Delhi.
Pp150
•Sailesh Chattopadhyay. 2011. Introduction to lac and lac culture. Tech. Bulletin.FBTI:01/2011
•Abrol, D.P.2010. Bees and Bee keeping in India. Kalyani Publishers, Ludhiana. Pp450
•David, B.V and Kumara Swami, T. 2016. Elements of Economic Entomology, Popular Book
Depot, Madras. Pp536
•Ganga, G and Sulochana Chetty, J. 2008. An introduction to sericulture. Oxford and IBH
Publishing Co.Pvt.Ltd., New Delhi. Pp160
•Gautam, R.D.2008. Biological Pest Suppression

54. MARKS ALLOTMENT
1. Mid semester Examination : 50M
2. Final Practical Examination : 25M
3. Class Work : 25M
Record: 10M
Observation Notes: 5M
Attendance: 3M
Discipline and attentive and answering: 2M
Internal Tests: 5M
4. Assignment : 25M
Power Point Presentation:10M
Model preparation:5M
Photo frame/Laminations :5M
Internal Write ups:5M

55. “Strive hard to make farming profitable and sustainable for the prosperous Nation”