uncapped brood situation

[Aren]

Hoping someone might help me narrow down what's going on in these picture showing uncapped brood.

I shook bees off the frame in hopes of finding young larvae to attempt grafting some queen cells. I noticed uncapped brood. Looks like also some sunken brood? Opening the sunken brood revealed fully formed pupae.

This is a productive swarm caught May 16th. After 2+months, already grown to 1 deep langstroth with 2 supers at 70% capped honey. Calm bees bringing in less nectar in last 7-10 days, but still loads of pollen. Some drone evictions already occurring.

No foul smells detected, saw no deformed wings nor paralysis. No melted/marshmellowy or discolored larvae, no shriveled up larvae/pupae noticed. AFB/EFB test kits on order.

Varoa regimen:
Swarm--OAV 7 days after capture.
Winter--OAV 3 times when minimal brood
Spring--splits, and OAV after split when broodless, some drone culling
Summer--OAV or apiguard, and MAQs rotation as needed.

Thank you in advance for reading.

 

[enrico]

Hoping someone might help me narrow down what's going on in these picture showing uncapped brood.

I shook bees off the frame in hopes of finding young larvae to attempt grafting some queen cells. I noticed uncapped brood. Looks like also some sunken brood? Opening the sunken brood revealed fully formed pupae.

This is a productive swarm caught May 16th. After 2+months, already grown to 1 deep langstroth with 2 supers at 70% capped honey. Calm bees bringing in less nectar in last 7-10 days, but still loads of pollen. Some drone evictions already occurring.

No foul smells detected, saw no deformed wings nor paralysis. No melted/marshmellowy or discolored larvae, no shriveled up larvae/pupae noticed. AFB/EFB test kits on order.

Varoa regimen:
Swarm--OAV 7 days after capture.
Winter--OAV 3 times when minimal brood
Spring--splits, and OAV after split when broodless, some drone culling
Summer--OAV or apiguard, and MAQs rotation as needed.

Thank you in advance for reading.

my suspicion would be foul brood. do you have bee inspectors in Canada

 

[blackcloud]

Those raised rims look like baldbrood

 

[hemo]

If you have bee inspectors then worth getting one to visit, to me it also looks like a less severe case of bald brood and wax moth damage.
Are you seeing any evidence of WM or it's larvae ?

If the the sealed brood is emerging and the bald larvae is fully developing then one likely can rule out AFB, also the sunken cappings all still look fresh. AFB would show up as much darker sunken cappings and as you say no smell and assume there are no ropey melted larvae.

Varroa wise looks like you have that covered.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Those raised rims look like baldbrood

nothing in the photographs or the description even vaguely indicates either of the foulbroods, evidence of bees uncapping brood cells and baldbrood indicates a varroa overload to me

 

[Ian123]

nothing in the photographs or the description even vaguely indicates either of the foulbroods, evidence of bees uncapping brood cells and baldbrood indicates a varroa overload to me

As above I can’t see any signs of brood disease there. Pictures of grubs in cells would be good though.

 

[ericbeaumont]

varroa overload

Agree with JBM & Ian.

Notice the off-centre ragged uncapping, indicating bees recognise a problem. Standard sealing of cells is neat and central.

 

[Newbeeneil]

A third for JBM, Ian and Eric.
Just looks like bald brood to me and can’t find any evidence of foul brood in the pictures.

 

[Aren]

A third for JBM, Ian and Eric.
Just looks like bald brood to me and can’t find any evidence of foul brood in the pictures.

First, thank you all for your input. Very appreciated.

I got very confused when trying to diagnose the situation, and my suspicion of EFB/AFB was due to hearing that someone near me had EFB in their hive 2km away. These neighbor beekeepers are treatment free, and I wondered if meant EFB would show up in my apiary.

I'm quite glad to hear it's not looking like either Foulbroods! Whew. Baldbrood is new to me, I've not heard of it discussed in our local bee group.

I went through the rest of my hives and did not notice other hives with issues. The hive with uncapped issue has larvae at different stages. One other frame has a few more cells uncapped but otherwise minimal sunken/chewed capping. I can confirm pupae under sunken/thin caps are all normal, and without deformities,

I did a precautionary OAV, and will check mite drop tomorrow. There is evidence of WM with dropping on the bottom mite board but I did not see the moth/larvae. The hive is not too weak, so I’ll give the bees a chance to take care of WM.

This being a swarm that I had OAV'd 7 days after capture, is it likely that it carried enough viral load to present symptoms now because of nectar dearth despite the OAV? As well, we’ve also had the longest, weakest, foggiest 6 months (December-May). That was a big stressor for everyone.

 

[OldFarm]

First, thank you all for your input. Very appreciated.

I got very confused when trying to diagnose the situation, and my suspicion of EFB/AFB was due to hearing that someone near me had EFB in their hive 2km away. These neighbor beekeepers are treatment free, and I wondered if meant EFB would show up in my apiary.

I'm quite glad to hear it's not looking like either Foulbroods! Whew. Baldbrood is new to me, I've not heard of it discussed in our local bee group.

I went through the rest of my hives and did not notice other hives with issues. The hive with uncapped issue has larvae at different stages. One other frame has a few more cells uncapped but otherwise minimal sunken/chewed capping. I can confirm pupae under sunken/thin caps are all normal, and without deformities,

I did a precautionary OAV, and will check mite drop tomorrow. There is evidence of WM with dropping on the bottom mite board but I did not see the moth/larvae. The hive is not too weak, so I’ll give the bees a chance to take care of WM.

This being a swarm that I had OAV'd 7 days after capture, is it likely that it carried enough viral load to present symptoms now because of nectar dearth despite the OAV? As well, we’ve also had the longest, weakest, foggiest 6 months (December-May). That was a big stressor for everyone.

If you tap your hive tool on the sides of the frames with the bald brood, wax moth larvae are likely to exit the comb and wave to you. Sometimes they are a little slow to respond, but usually works.

 

[ericbeaumont]

a productive swarm

Wax moth tunneling under cappings is one reason for bald brood, but the photos don't really tally with the longer run of uncapping seen usually with WM. Old Farm's method above works well, so give it a go.

Bald brood may also have a genetic root and as you watch the laying pattern during the coming weeks, you will eventually decide whether the colony has WM or will need re-queening. Stress from varroa is often associated with lesser bee disease, but you treated the swarm on arrival, so the load will be low.

Swarms are usually productive because they have a narrow window of opportunity to build before winter, but risk of disease (esp. as you have EFB 2km away) means that advanced open brood will need close scrutiny and (bit late now) a colony parked in an isolation apiary until proven to be sound.

What alarms this UK beekeeper is the casual US treatment methods of EFB and the risk of repeat infection. In the UK, EFB is a notifiable disease by law, that at 50% infection leads to destruction of colonies and scorching of kit; lesser infection is often dealt with by shook swarming (often ineffective).

In the US the usual methods are Requeening of badly infected colonies usually will help clear up the disease. Moving colonies to areas where there is a better honey flow or mix of flowering plants also usually decreases disease symptoms. Feeding of the drug oxytetracycline (Terramycin) as a dust may be necessary in severe cases. Follow directions for feeding terramycin under AFB.

 

[blackcloud]

Well they were told that drinking bleach will cure Covid 19-what can you expect?

 

[Aren]

Unfortunately, the bleach thing was embarrassing. Yet, we love many things about this country and thankful that effective Covid vaccines were created and distributed as quickly as it did and further desperation didn’t lead to more bleach poisoning!

As well, I’ve come to the same conclusion that there is quite a different perspective on how to approach/deal with EFB across our two shores. As well as between any locality’s beekeepers. I appreciate the referenced UK Statutory Procedures for controlling honey bee pests and diseases.

I will definitely apply tapping the frames to lure the wax moth larvae, and watch the colony to see if the queen needs to be replaced. Now, a new apiary will be on my Christmas list for those questionable hives and swarms. Since, it is unlikely that it will mean being gifted a new property miles away, is this something I can ask to be gifted onto one our 1.5 hilly acres? Or is that not worth the trouble?

 

[ericbeaumont]

a new property miles away

Ask a friendly farmer if you might use a field. Look first to Google Earth and find a spot with good vehicle access, security, and hidden from public view.

 

[Ian123]

A few have mentioned wax moth…. I can’t see any in those frames!!!!
They normally leave a trail/cocoon under capping that’s easily seen. Even if/when the bees remove it the resulting bald brood is in a trail or track.

The tapping the frame does work and if no grub pops out they have often fallen out the other side

 

[blackcloud]

Ask a friendly farmer if you might use a field. Look first to Google Earth and find a spot with good vehicle access, security, and hidden from public view.

I looked at Google earth and seen lots of little squares and rectangles in rows.
Anyone want some cheap beekeeping equipment?

 

[Newbeeneil]

I looked at Google earth and seen lots of little squares and rectangles in rows.
Anyone want some cheap beekeeping equipment?

Phew, obviously not mine as mine were expensive