Bald Brood

[FROGDOGDIVER]

I did an inspection today on my hives and on checking one of the hives found a strange pattern on the brood of one frame only. I have looked at pictures in the beecraft apiary guide I have to say it looks very like Bald Brood. There were about 10 to 20 randomly spaced cells where I could clearly see the white pupae in their cells. I am assuming they are still alive as the bees have made no attempt to remove them. It it just like the cells have not been capped over but the bees are inside and pupae not larvae. they are still at the white stage though. Does anyone have any thoughts on this or have you seen this before. It is very puzzling. I didnt get a picture of it but need to go to my bees tomorrow weather permitting so will try then. Thanks.

Alan

 

[FROGDOGDIVER]

I could not get any pics of the brood as the weather here has been too wet and thunderry so I will try again on next inspection if still showing this brood pattern.

 

[hedgerow pete]

it could be that they are clearing the cells and removing the bad grubs

 

[Busy Bee]

Baldbrood is a condition whereby the heads of the developing pupae and prepupae are visible during the period between capping and emergence of the bee. This may be due to the genetic strain of bee, which results in the incomplete and faulty capping of the larvae by the bees, causing death to some brood. Alternatively, it may be caused by the larvae wax moth (Galleria mellonella) chewing its way through brood cappings in a straight line. Affected bees may have deformed legs and wings and faecal pellets of the wax moth may be seen adhereing to their bodies. There is no specific treatment for baldbrood, but requeening and treating for wax moth are good practices.

Busy Bee

 

[FROGDOGDIVER]

Did an inspection today and the bald brood cells have either hatched out or been removed. All gone now and all the capped brood back to normal.

 

[Polyanwood]

Is this baldbrood? Can you see the attachment?

 

[FROGDOGDIVER]

Yes thats what I saw on my hive. I believe it to be bald brood. My hive has not had any problems with wax moth and so it must be caused by a genetic trait. Needless to say I will be re queening this colony ASAP. Some of my cells hatched some didnt.

 

[MrTrueman]

I wonder if the bees are super clever and have worked out that they are the cells full of varroa!

 

[jon]

Some of those look like drone larvae in worker cells.
It could be an example of hygienic behaviour due to varroa infestation.
What are your varroa levels like?

 

[gavin]

I wonder if the bees are super clever and have worked out that they are the cells full of varroa!

Exactly! More likely to be a good thing than a bad thing.

G.

 

[Finman]

From UK, googling:

"Bald brood


Symptoms


The developing pupae are usually sealed in their cells under wax cappings 8-9 days after laying. Bald brood may be seen as small patches of normally developing larvae with uncapped or partially capped cells. These uncapped larvae will usually emerge as fully developed adults, although a few malformed adults may result from contaminants becoming deposited on the developing larvae.

Cause
The most usual cause of bald brood is wax moth larvae (both the lesser (Achroia grisella) and greater(Galleria mellonella)) tunnelling below the surface of the comb. The larvae will perforate the cappings, which are then chewed down by the worker bees; sometimes these partial cappings have a raised lip protruding from the comb surface. Another cause of bald brood is genetic, where the worker bees do not cap the cells properly, either turning the cell edges inward or leaving a small hole in the centre of the capping.

Control
Strong colonies of bees will reduce the effects of wax moth, and in the case of the genetic form of bald brood re-queening of the colony will usually resolve the problem.
"

 

[Finman]

It could be an example of hygienic behaviour due to varroa infestation.
?

No, it is not.

 

[Polyanwood]

Thanks for all the comments. I monitor and treat for varroa regularly. They have a low varroa load.

Will they win the battle against waxmoth on their own? I could put in a frame of emerging brood I guess, but am a bit reticent to take that away from the colonies that are bringing in honey.

 

[jon]

From UK, googling:sometimes these partial cappings have a raised lip protruding from the comb surface. Another cause of bald brood is genetic, where the worker bees do not cap the cells properly, either turning the cell edges inward or leaving a small hole in the centre of the capping.
"

Interesting. That's why I thought they may be drone larvae in worker cells, due to the raised edge.

 

[Onge]

We had this at the bee club this week and looked it up on the defra disease booklet. It is wax moth and the cure is, as long as it is a strong hive they will control the numbers of wax moth, thats it. Although what happens in the winter i do not know.

 

[FROGDOGDIVER]

We had this at the bee club this week and looked it up on the defra disease booklet. It is wax moth and the cure is, as long as it is a strong hive they will control the numbers of wax moth, thats it. Although what happens in the winter i do not know.

Yes but a strong colony will not prevent the genetic caused bald brood pattern such as what I am experiencing as in my initial post. It will only help if it is caused by wax moth.

 

[mikethebee]

Due to bad weather!! The larvae has not had enough food to finish off capping the cell. Tell me if I be wrong???

Now we will have some bad language, and I will be called all sorts of tings

All the best mike

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi mikethebee

The larvae has not had enough food to finish off capping the cell. Tell me if I be wrong???

Mike your wrong!

The nurse bees produce the wax cappings to seal the larvae in the cell, how on earth can a larvae produce wax?

Regards;

 

[mikethebee]

NO YOUR WRONG!!! Me old mate Bcrazy,
You bin far to long listening to boring lectures at bee Associations.

I will try to explain in my words, But: “Think about it or CHECK IT OUT”

THE very white cappings are produced from the larvae hence the dome when first complete! It sinks during metamorphose.
The larvae produced from inside the cell pushing up to form the cap.
If it was the nurse bees the cappings would be sunken and not white but golden wax?

(AS A CATAPILLER FORMS A SILK Cocoon in sheath before chrysalis.)
Been out very tired but not yet pissssssssd
All the best mike

 

[Bcrazy]

Good morning Mikethebee,

My response to your last post is;


Please correct me if I am wrong. My understanding of the development of the deposited egg to emergence as a bee is as follows;

When the queen lays an egg she glues it to the floor of the cell so that it is standing at the bottom. The egg sags during the approximately 3 day period before hatching into larval stage.
Larvae are essentially feeding machines, designed for rapid growth. The larvae remain curled up in the bottom of their cells for four to six days, feeding on secretions deposited there by the nurse bees.
After this feeding period, the adult workers cap the cell with wax, and the larvae uncurl, stretch out fully in their cells and spin a cocoon.
The pupa is the last stage before the final moult to the adult, during which the developing bee completes its metamorphosis, the young bee will chew her way through the cell cappings and emerges.

From the Biology of the Honey Bee by Mark l. Winston.

Quote; the first four larval moults occur approximately once a day for workers and queens and allow the larvae to grow rapidly by shedding the exoskeleton when it has become too small. During this time the cells are uncapped, and nurse bees feed the larvae large quantities of brood food by placing it in the cells close to or even on top of the larvae. The larvae are able to rotate within the cells to get to food not placed directly next to their mouths (Lindauer, 1952).
At this point the larvae are sealed in their cells with wax cappings constructed by adult workers, sometimes with a little food, which may or may not be eaten.
End quote.

Have a nice day!!!

Regards;