Chalk brood?

[Eyeman]

Neglected colony with drone layer and spotty brood with drone brood also in supers- single eggs in bottom of cells so DLQ able to pass through QE.
Has anyone seen these odd white capping ( single one shown in picture) When removed they have a partially mummified chalk brood mummy- only approx 1/3 of larvae is hard- that part nearest capping. No mummies visible on OMF.
Other areas older larvae are uncapped like bald brood. No wax moth visible but could be genetic.

 

[Plenty of honey]

View attachment 14508

Neglected colony with drone layer and spotty brood with drone brood also in supers- single eggs in bottom of cells so DLQ able to pass through QE.
Has anyone seen these odd white capping ( single one shown in picture) When removed they have a partially mummified chalk brood mummy- only approx 1/3 of larvae is hard- that part nearest capping. No mummies visible on OMF.
Other areas older larvae are uncapped like bald brood. No wax moth visible but could be genetic.

Could be genetic, but I've had a few drone layers this spring and most of the time their offspring seem to have chalk brood developing in quite a few of the drone cells. The same daughters in other colonies, not a hint of it. It seems where you have normal balanced colony, chalk brood seems virtually non existent these days. its a job to find it to be honest.
However a compromised colony, the first thing i see is chalk brood mummies when your looking at the brood pattern and thorough inspection.

 

[Beefriendly]

chalk brood seems virtually non existent these days. its a job to find it to be honest.

My local mongrel bees were full of it as are my pure Amm queens. More prevalent in Spring but still noticeable even now. One of the reasons the locals went (that and aggression plus lack of honey ) and the Amm's are going soon...similar reasons....

 

[Plenty of honey]

My local mongrel bees were full of it as are my pure Amm queens. More prevalent in Spring but still noticeable even now. One of the reasons the locals went (that and aggression plus lack of honey ) and the Amm's are going soon...similar reasons....

Ever since I've been using quality breeder queens it's really paid off! I used to be a big fan of local AMM, but to be honest, and being totally honest, I have now much stronger stocks, more prolific queens, job to keep them in their hives in the spring. No chalk brood, or as I said, very little!
I am a great believer in grafting and raising bees from your own bees, but when you start if your AMM is missing so many desirable qualities, to
Me it's a no brainier! I can work happily with my bees now. Rarely do I need a full suit! I can make cell builders that are so strong that they build terrific queens with huge cells packed full of jelly! What's not to like! Mating is still a bit of an issue but nothing is perfect!


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[Beefriendly]

Ever since I've been using quality breeder queens it's really paid off! I used to be a big fan of local AMM, but to be honest, and being totally honest, I have now much stronger stocks, more prolific queens, job to keep them in their hives in the spring. No chalk brood, or as I said, very little!

POH, that is the road I have taken, chalk brood is very rare in my main breeders or their offspring.
I enjoy comparing and contrasting different strains of bees. My Amm's, like my Carniolans, (and probvale future Italians, Caucasians and who knows what else) are for my own interest of keeping bees and comparisons in performances. I doubt my current experimental queens (on their progeny's performances) will be in my main stable for much longer. But Amm's and local mongrels (in my area) do suffer extensively from chalkbrood, Amm's much worse than I ever expected given the praises that are sung about them! Even passed on to their daughters which gained viciousness. Not the type of bees I wish to keep long term, but an interesting experiment which I'm very glad I tried. Lovely white capping's though, just not enough of them to class them as serious honey gatherers.

 

[Lancs Lad]

POH, that is the road I have taken, chalk brood is very rare in my main breeders or their offspring.
I enjoy comparing and contrasting different strains of bees. My Amm's, like my Carniolans, (and probvale future Italians, Caucasians and who knows what else) are for my own interest of keeping bees and comparisons in performances. I doubt my current experimental queens (on their progeny's performances) will be in my main stable for much longer. But Amm's and local mongrels (in my area) do suffer extensively from chalkbrood, Amm's much worse than I ever expected given the praises that are sung about them! Even passed on to their daughters which gained viciousness. Not the type of bees I wish to keep long term, but an interesting experiment which I'm very glad I tried. Lovely white capping's though, just not enough of them to class them as serious honey gatherers.

I agree entirely with the above posts, kept AMM for five years, made inroads into the amount of chalkbrood by trying to breed it out but not successful enough to warrant keeping them any longer. Plus they still get quite vicious at times.

 

[Eyeman]

I don't see a lot of chalk brood despite rearing local queens for the past 10 years.
This year there has been this case in a weak colony with DLQ and an earlier one which has hundreds of mummies on the OMF.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Your photo isn't of chalkbrood mummies. It's old pollen removed from the comb by the bees.

 

[Eyeman]

Your right, on closer inspection you can see the differen t layers.
Thanks for that Michael.

 

[Michael Palmer]

I don't really see chalk in your first photo either.

 

[Eyeman]

I don't really see chalk in your first photo either.

There were part mummified pupae under these whitish cappings, only the top 1/3rd of the pupae was hard. It didn't look like a typical chalk brood. Then again the colony was in decline with a DLQ and there were a few areas of bald brood,
I was trying to see if anyone had come across cappings with a white centre which underneath were these part mummified pupae.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Yeah well, typical of DLQ or LW colonies. Drone brood gets cannibalized. I'm seeing that in your photo...not chalk.

 

[Eyeman]

Yes a lot of uncapping going on. It was just that capped cell in the centre of the photo which has a central white capping with biscuit colored surround. When I uncapped it 1/3rd of the pupae nearest the capping was solid- like a chalk brood mummy.
Thanks once again for you input.