Spotty brood pattern

[noumenon]

My colony seems to be doing well, but I'm a little worried about the brood pattern. Once I shook the bees off, it looks really sparse compared to what I would have expected. Should I be concerned?





And the worst frame on the outside edge...

 

[Wilco]

Possibly sacbrood although can't see enough dead pupae to be sure and would likely have another stressor going on too. It looks like a lot of sunken cappings indicating a lot of dead capped brood. Does the frame rattle if you shake it? What varroa treatment do you use and when?

Requeening is sensible if you can get one that's unrelated.

 

[noumenon]

I'll check for a rattle on next inspection.

I treated with Apivar Life (Thymol) in September (the recommended 2 treatments. As far as I can tell, they are in good health (e.g. no sign of deformed wings). Here is one of the frames before shaking. They have plenty of stores (3+ frames) and are bringing in lots of pollen. They have fresh water nearby.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think that’s a failing queen but I would be digging a few of those dark cappings to have a look. That last picture doesn’t show a good covering of bees

 

[Wilco]

I think that’s a failing queen

Even though most of the cells appear to have eggs or larvae in?

 

[Ian123]

You’re a new beekeeper? . I’d definitely get that checked by your bee inspector, you’ve got some depressed cappings and slumped larvae. I’d go a bad case of sac brood but I’d get the efb test kit out if I saw that to be on the safe side!….. use your bee inspectors it’s what they are there for.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Even though most of the cells appear to have eggs or larvae in?

I did add I would dig out some of those cells but Ian us spot on. Somebody experienced needs to look

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You’re a new beekeeper? . I’d definitely get that checked by your bee inspector, you’ve got some depressed cappings and slumped larvae. I’d go a bad case of sac brood but I’d get the efb test kit out if I saw that to be on the safe side!

Pretty difficult to make a diagnosis on a photograph but a few closeups would make me recommend you call your bee inspector - just to be on the safe side.

 

[Ian123]

Everyone of us should be an expert with those test kits after covid….. there pretty much identical just don’t poke it up your nose.

 

[Ian123]

I’d also suggest that the frame with all the bees on looks a bit odd, few if any young nurse bees. They look a little shiny.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Apivar Life (Thymol) in September (the recommended 2 treatments

Treatment is for 4 biscuits, not 2, so knockdown likely to have been partial and varroa may be high, but the distorted advanced open brood looks suspicious. Definitely follow the advice given to call your SBI.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

When I last treated with ApiLife Var it didn't knock down the varroa enough. I'm not a fan.

Noone has mentioned AFB yet. Sunken cappings but they don't look greasy. I'd have a broggle in a few of these. Probably with your local bee inspector.
Can't see any EFB type, twisted and melted larvae. Or any sacbrood pointed 'slipper' like larvae.

 

[madasafish]

Does not look like AFB to me but try uncapping a sunken capping and inserting a pin into the larva and trying to pull it out. If you get a ropey like substance coming out, it may be AFB.

But you really need a Bee Inspector.

Some capped cells have holes in them: that could be varroa..

 

[Ian123]

When I last treated with ApiLife Var it didn't knock down the varroa enough. I'm not a fan.

Noone has mentioned AFB yet. Sunken cappings but they don't look greasy. I'd have a broggle in a few of these. Probably with your local bee inspector.
Can't see any EFB type, twisted and melted larvae. Or any sacbrood pointed 'slipper' like larvae.

What ever it is it’s quite advanced if it was afb there be some gooey cells visible I suspect.

 

[noumenon]

I will contact the local bee inspector tomorrow to see if I can get him to have a look.

I was wondering if maybe it's down to not enough nurse bees to feed the larvae. She's a 2022 queen.

 

[BaconWizard]

I would have said bald-brood, but I'm a noob.
If so, possibly will clear-up with flow but most likely needs re-queen)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I would have said bald-brood,

no sign of that in the pictures

 

[Into the lions den]

Not much will break me out of my summer absence. But this is one.

The sad fact of having a decade long experience of dealing with EFB means I can assure you that not all cases are so obvious as showing the contorted larvae etc, especially of they are really good cleaners. Sometimes the larva only dies post capping.

There are other possibilities such as sacbrood..although no 'chinese slippers' visible, or inbreeding, or very severe PMS ....but if we see this we would be looking 50% chance of EFB or 40% of very severe chalk susceptibility combined with being good at removing the early infected examples of both conditions.

No doubt in my mind is that the correct course of action is to call in the bee inspector (urgently!) and get a test done. Irrespective of the outcome I would cull anyway.....this is a defective situation that is not going to go away without a genetic refresh

 

[Curly green finger's]

My thoughts are chalk brood you can see mummified larvae

 

[Antipodes]

Irrespective of the outcome I would cull anyway.....this is a defective situation that is not going to go away without a genetic refresh

I wonder (with your experience) , if it's EFB, would you consider a change of queen for a genetic refresh but at the same time do a shook swarm perhaps?