Spotty brood pattern

[BaconWizard]

My guess is a serious protein deficiency. She is refilling cells where eggs that have likely been cannibalized (chilled and removed also possible). In my experience, a queen that fizzles out begins laying drone eggs and eventually has nothing else to lay. This girl is trying, and still laying worker eggs.

I’m generally getting away from putting foodstuffs inside the hives. It is rampant in the US, as commercial beeks ramp up early populations with pollen patties. Nothing particularly wrong with the practice, and I’ll still do it where needed, but it’s just extra work, and has its own set of complications (hive beetle nursery for instance).

If this hive was in my yard they would have a small bit of pollen patty squeezed thin for max exposure, like today. No more than I thought they’d consume in 4-5 days.

Last spring I opened a hive that looked worse than this, with deformed wing and other issues. I realized that in making splits or nucs, I had left them void of stored pollen through the winter. While I was sickened that my negligence had caused it (probably not the case with you), I acted immediately. This handful of sick bees was turned around and was eventually very productive, though 4-5 weeks later than others.

edit: I didn’t read all posts mentioning EFB. It’s fairly common here, but my advice would stand, treating nutritional need first, then requeen if not turned around within 1 brood cycle. But this may be like CBPV and many other issues you guys face. I can find 3-4K bees here with the coloring of CBPV, and over time many times that number. While I’m sure it shortens individual lives, I’ve yet to see a single bee trembling and disoriented from it. Please forgive my ignorance, as all beekeeping is local, as are the challenges.

The only options for EFB are shook-swarm or destruction and which depends on circumstances of how advanced and whether there's a spike in cases locally. Which, is determined by the inspector. In this case, destruction.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I'm heartbroken, it's EFB. The inspector has advised that as it's quite advanced, a shook swarm is unlikely to work, so sadly destruction is the only remaining option.

It is a real kick in the teeth when you get that test confirmation. It's happened to me 3 times in the last 4 years and I have had to destroy 4 colonies which is no fun and I hope I never have to do it again.
Get the destruction over with, sterilise all your gear and get some more bees. Beekeeeping will only get better after this setback. Good luck in the future.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sorry to hear that and for my incorrect thought earlier in the thread. Well done for getting the inspector in and doing the right thing.

@noumenon
Ditto
Apologies too. I really need a slap on the wrist and to go back to bee school.

 

[joebeewhisperer]

The only options for EFB are shook-swarm or destruction and which depends on circumstances of how advanced and whether there's a spike in cases locally. Which, is determined by the inspector. In this case, destruction.

I don’t doubt they have EFB, but they have brood emerging, no sign of deformed brood prior to capping (but my eyesight is admittedly lacking). There is poor but not horrible coverage on the frame before shaking, and I didn’t see a single cell full of pollen. They may have it stored adjacent to the frames shown.

A local beek inspector sees local conditions daily, so they usually know the best course.

I also forget the powerlessness feeling of having 1-2 hives when something goes downhill. Sorry for the OP, as it’s gut-wrenching to lose one. Don’t give up. You’ll get it, and bees have brought me a ton of joy. Wishing you the same.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I don’t doubt they have EFB, but they have brood emerging,

doesn't matter, brood often emerges with foulbrood, I remember finding an infected colony years ago with but a handful of infected cells and when I was up at the National Bee Unit last year they had one case where they only found one infected cell in the whole colony. Over here it's a reportable disease and a legal requirement to call in the inspectors (a lateral flow test has obviously been done by them and showed positive) and destruction is often the best option (there has been some experimentation with whole apiary shook swarming the last few seasons but with very mixed results)
It's a heartbreaking thing, but can't be helped, usually no fault of the beekeeper, that's why apiary hygiene/biosecurity is important and reckless actions like open feeding or leaving kit around that can attract robbers from other colonies is not recommended.

 

[Ian123]

I don’t doubt they have EFB, but they have brood emerging, no sign of deformed brood prior to capping (but my eyesight is admittedly lacking).

1. They have tested positive with an in field test ….very similar to a covid test kit
2. There’s plenty of brood that looks deformed and sunken cappings.
3. I think we can take the inspectors word for it…You know those guys specifically trained to look for it

On this basis I think we can safely assume they have EFB!

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Get the destruction over with, sterilise all your gear and get some more bees. Beekeeeping will only get better after this setback. Good luck in the future.

Agree.

As a beginner having a SBI visit for the next 2 years would be useful experience. I understood that most hobby beeks would be very unlucky to see a case of foul brood in their beekeeping career. Sorry to hear of this case with your only colony. Things can only get better.

 

[jeff33]

I'm heartbroken, it's EFB. The inspector has advised that as it's quite advanced, a shook swarm is unlikely to work, so sadly destruction is the only remaining option.

Sorry to hear that, gutted for you.

 

[joebeewhisperer]

doesn't matter, brood often emerges with foulbrood, I remember finding an infected colony years ago with but a handful of infected cells and when I was up at the National Bee Unit last year they had one case where they only found one infected cell in the whole colony. Over here it's a reportable disease and a legal requirement to call in the inspectors (a lateral flow test has obviously been done by them and showed positive) and destruction is often the best option (there has been some experimentation with whole apiary shook swarming the last few seasons but with very mixed results)
It's a heartbreaking thing, but can't be helped, usually no fault of the beekeeper, that's why apiary hygiene/biosecurity is important and reckless actions like open feeding or leaving kit around that can attract robbers from other colonies is not recommended.

Thanks for the details. In the US it varies by state, but AFB and Africanized are the main things inspectors are looking for. I was inspected last week, and the inspection sheet has all the usual pests and diseases, and a blank for the number of hives with those issues.

Don’t know what they would do with Africanized, but with AFB you dig a hole, pour diesel on the lot and burn it, then cover up. Other than irradiating the equipment, I don’t think there’s a way to clean it.

 

[joebeewhisperer]

1. They have tested positive with an in field test ….very similar to a covid test kit
2. There’s plenty of brood that looks deformed and sunken cappings.
3. I think we can take the inspectors word for it…You know those guys specifically trained to look for it

On this basis I think we can safely assume they have EFB!

I meant no disrespect. I’ll go back and look at the pics again and educate myself a bit more.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

with AFB you dig a hole, pour diesel on the lot and burn it

same here - the other reportable disease, with AFB there's no discussion/alternative it's half a pint of petrol down the feeder hole to kill them, then dig a pit and burn.

 

[pargyle]

Very sad ... and whilst it's a heartbreaking task to have to destroy a colony... it's not your fault. One has to assume that it has spread from somewhere else in the vicinity and if these are managed colonies then the beekeeper has not done the right thing and called in the bee inspector. Just the time to lick your wounds, clean up, put it behind you and move on. It happens ... treat it as a valuable beekeeping lesson, albeit a very sad one.

 

[joebeewhisperer]

same here - the other reportable disease, with AFB there's no discussion/alternative it's half a pint of petrol down the feeder hole to kill them, then dig a pit and burn.

Last year I told the inspector (who lives 2.5 hours away), that if I had AFB, he need not worry, I would burn them immediately. He said, “No, please call and I’ll be here in 4 hours any time.” - As dreadful as it would be, this measure has just about eradicated AFB, at least in managed hives in our state (roughly 80% the area of England). The state apiarist said in 2019 they found 4-5 cases of it.

So you guys being strict on EFB will make for healthier populations. Globalization has really spread some stuff around. But we do as we are able.

 

[Wilco]

same here - the other reportable disease, with AFB there's no discussion/alternative it's half a pint of petrol down the feeder hole to kill them, then dig a pit and burn.

I think you mean notifiable rather than reportable.

 

[Antipodes]

and if these are managed colonies then the beekeeper has not done the right thing and called in the bee inspector.

Not necessarily as it is clear from the research that I have seen that that the bacteria can exist with no noticeable clinical symptoms...

"Melissococcus plutonius can survive and remain contagious within a seemingly healthy honeybee colony, without presenting classic EFB symptoms (subclinical presence of EFB)."

(quoted from https://teca.apps.fao.org/teca/es/technologies/8418)

It can also have been spread from a nearby apiary before the beekeeper has had a chance to report it. It's possible in this case of course that the bacteria has already spread from this colony to a nearby one before the OP reported it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think you mean notifiable rather than reportable.

I usually notify them when I report it
Thanks - MS sometimes makes you lose words you used to use regularly

 

[beeker]

Very sad to see, feel so sorry for you. But as many have said dust yourself down, not your fault at all, and come back stronger.

It's served as a very salutary lesson to me, the photos have taught me a lot and I've bookmarked them for future reference, it's reinforced the importance of biosecurity between hive and apiaries, and disease checking.
So your loss @noumenon has no doubt helped others like me, with the help of this amazing forum. Sorry again

 

[E&MBees]

Very sad to see, feel so sorry for you. But as many have said dust yourself down, not your fault at all, and come back stronger.

It's served as a very salutary lesson to me, the photos have taught me a lot and I've bookmarked them for future reference, it's reinforced the importance of biosecurity between hive and apiaries, and disease checking.
So your loss @noumenon has no doubt helped others like me, with the help of this amazing forum. Sorry again

If you want some other photos, I posted some last year after one of my colonies succumbed to EFB.
Not sure how to post the link though. Sorry. It’s called ‘Photos of EFB’.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the photos have taught me a lot and I've bookmarked them for future reference, it's reinforced the importance of biosecurity between hive and apiaries, and disease checking.

Have a look on beebase, plenty of good guides and pictures on there

https://www.nationalbeeunit.com/diseases-and-pests/#

 

[Into the lions den]

I'm heartbroken, it's EFB. The inspector has advised that as it's quite advanced, a shook swarm is unlikely to work, so sadly destruction is the only remaining option.

You did the right thing. Sorry for jumping in on the thread...but you needed to know....and it was not a subject for pussyfooting around.
Its a painful bit of education...but you will be unlikely to miss it in future.....and the smell of advanced EFB lives with you forever.