Foulbrood in bees: signs

Beekeepers have to pay a lot of attention to the health of bee colonies. Among the list of the most dangerous diseases, foul diseases occupy a special place. They have a detrimental effect on the brood, negatively affect the condition of the entire family, and reduce the quality of honey. How to determine foulbrood in bees in time and how to cure insects will be described later.

General description of the disease

Foulbrood refers to diseases of the brood, although its effects extend to the whole family. The disease affects worker bees, the queen, and prepupae. As soon as the brood becomes infected, beekeepers notice holes in the lids. After the death of the larvae, a specific smell of rot is felt with an admixture of the smell of carpentry glue.

A decrease in productivity is not included in the beekeeper’s plans, so you should familiarize yourself with the description of the problem and methods for getting rid of it in advance. Bee foulbrood is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus larvae. Spores of pathogenic microorganisms are the source of bee disease. The activity of bacteria continues for many years, their viability in particles of dead larvae is up to 30 years.

Bacterial spores enter the intestines of the larva when it eats contaminated food. Feeder bees can also be carriers of the infection, in which the spores remain on the mouth organs or paws. The incubation period lasts from 2 to 7 days. For the very first 3 days, the bee larva is protected from foulbrood by milk, its bactericidal properties. The spores are then unable to develop due to the high concentration of sugars in the gut of the larva. In a sealed cell, the bee larva lives off the accumulated nutrients. When the sugar content drops to 2,5%, the active development of pathogen spores begins. This happens from 10 to 16 days.

The death of the larva from foulbrood occurs when it passes into the prepupal stage and the cell is sealed. Then the color of the larva changes to brown, the smell of decay appears, the lid of the cell goes down after the head. If you pull the mass out of the cell with a match, it resembles thin long threads.

Лечение гнильца пчел очень затруднено. Это связано с тем, что возбудитель сохраняется в ульях, почве, пчелиной суши, на инвентаре, запасах меда. Поэтому расслабляться пчеловодам нельзя. Даже после излечения семьи заражение внезапно вспыхивает вновь и требует новых усилий для борьбы.

Varieties

The disease is divided into varieties according to the decreasing degree of risk of infection of the larvae:

1. american foulbrood. Another name is closed brood foulbrood. The most dangerous species for bees.
2. European foulbrood. This is an open brood disease. The degree of danger is slightly reduced compared to the American one.
3. Pararot. The second name is false foulbrood. A less dangerous type of bacterial infection of bees.

It should be said that the division is somewhat symbolic. It is necessary in all cases to treat bees from foulbrood very efficiently.

What is dangerous disease

The main danger lies in the possibility of spreading the infection over a long distance and its difficult curability. Foulbrood easily moves even to neighboring apiaries, infecting new bee colonies. The peak of bee infection occurs in July, this month is most comfortable for spores with its temperature regime. Bacteria actively multiply at + 37 °C.

This means that the disease has already spread to part of the brood. The bees remove the lids, but they cannot completely remove the contents of the cell. Therefore, the next bookmark is made in the neighboring ones. The combs have a variegated appearance, characteristic of the affected brood.

american foulbrood

According to the degree of danger, it ranks first among the varieties of the disease. It’s called malignant.

The loss of family productivity is about 80%, complete extinction occurs within 2 years. The period of maximum activity of Paenibacillus larvae, the bacterium of American foulbrood, falls on the end of spring and summer. In this case, the infected bee larvae die in closed cells. Foulbrood can infect any kind of bees, but is harmless to humans and animals, which often serve as carriers of the pathogen. American foulbrood spores are resistant to adverse factors and influences, able to live on plants, in the soil, on beekeeper’s tools for more than 7 years. On the corpses of dead larvae, they remain viable for about 30 years.

Infection of bees is possible through an infected tool or honey for feeding, through insects – beetles, moths, ticks.

Возбудителю гнильца подвержены личинки пчел возраста 5-6 дней. После поражения они погибают, гниют и превращаются в тягучую массу со специфическим запахом, который напоминает столярный клей. Быстрое распространение заболевания уничтожает большое количество личинок. Без достаточного пополнения семья ослабевает, это может привести к гибели целого пчелосемейства.

It is difficult to clean the cell from the putrefactive mass, therefore the uterus refuses to stay in such cells.

European foulbrood

The second kind of disease. The European foulbrood of bees differs from the American one in that larvae of open (unsealed) brood at the age of 3-4 days are susceptible to it. With a strong development of infection, sealed brood can also be affected.

Возбудитель был изучен в Европе, поэтому гнилец этого типа назван европейским. Пораженные особи теряют сегментацию (членение), изменяют цвет на соломенно-желтый. Далее появляется кислый запах, труп приобретает тягучую консистенцию, затем высыхает. Удалить погибшую личинку легче, чем при поражении американским видом инфекции. Европейским гнильцом могут поражаться маточные или трутневые личинки. Пик распространения болезни приходится на весну-лето. Немного снижается процент заболеваемости в период медосбора. Пчелы активнее очищают ячейки.

It is possible to accurately determine the type of bee disease only with the help of a laboratory study, where part of the foundation with sick or dead larvae is transferred.

Уровень опасности заражения гнильцом значительно увеличивается при несоблюдении правил ухода за пчелами и уликами:

• presence of dirt;
• poor insulation;
• old combs in which pest spores remain.

The causative agents of European foulbrood are several types of bacteria:

• pluton streptococcus;
• streptococcal bee bacterium;
• бацилла альвеевая;
• бактерия плютоновая.

They have resistance to different conditions, therefore, they remain vitally active for a very long time. They die in honey after 3 hours, due to the strong antibacterial properties of the product. Also destroyed by phenolic substances.

Pararot

Less dangerous kind. Parafouling affects older larvae. Most often, the lesion occurs in high-altitude regions with a cold climate.

This species differs from others in the state of the dead larvae. They are:

• are odorless;
• dry quickly;
• корочки не имеют интенсивной окраски;
• dead bodies are easy to remove.

Гибель расплода происходит в запечатанной ячейке, намного реже – в открытой. Основных симптомов заболевания пчел несколько:

• in diseased pupae, motor activity increases;
• они принимают неестественное положение;
• sealed caps become dark in color and become convex;
• в центре выпуклости замечается конусообразное углубление;
• there is no hole inherent in American foulbrood;
• dried pupae are easily removed from the cell.

Чтобы поставить правильный диагноз, обращают внимание на возраст пораженных личинок, запах и консистенцию. Окончательный ответ можно получить только после лабораторных исследований.

Как лечить пчел от гнильца

Foulbrood diseases in bees cannot be cured without colony relocation. To do this, use disinfected hives with artificial foundation. This event is called a run. For the treatment of American foulbrood, bees are distilled twice, but sequentially. There are two procedures for carrying out the haul – with and without fasting:

1. With starvation. First, you need to shake off all the bees from the frames into an empty hive, close the entrances with a grate, and transfer it to a dark room. The purpose of fasting is to completely consume the honey in the stomach of insects, which can be saturated with bacterial spores. The bees at this time huddle in a lump and hang under the lid. As soon as the insects from hunger begin to crumble to the floor, they are moved to a clean hive. It should already be framed. A new uterus is given to the family in a cell.
2. Without starvation. The hive is removed, the bees are shaken off before a new one on paper. At the same time, the uterus is removed from the family. If there is enough healthy brood in this colony, it is transferred to a new one. The entrances are closed, provide the bees with a sufficient amount of water and medicinal food. A week later, the queen cells are broken out. As soon as the brood comes out, the family is distilled into a disinfected hive and receives a fetal queen. The bees are given medicinal syrup.

Вощину кипятят 2,5 часа, затем перерабатывают на воск.

Straw and wax from infected apiaries are necessarily marked as “rotten”.

Оставшийся после перегона расплод помещают в закрытых уликах на инкубационный период, затем он идет на формирование новой пчелосемьи.

Further treatment of foulbrood in bees involves disinfecting places under the evidence, calcining the soil with a blowtorch or using a fire pit. The inner surface of the hives is disinfected by firing, cleaned and washed.

The apiary is closed for quarantine, which is removed the next year after the transfer, if no recurrence of the disease is recorded.

If single families are affected by American foulbrood, they are recommended to be destroyed.

Treatment of bees for European or American foulbrood is effective if new brood is not established. That is why the uterus is removed from the family of bees.

Preparations for the treatment of bees from foulbrood

The optimal time for the treatment of bee colonies from foulbrood is June. Then sick insects do not lag behind healthy ones and take part in the main bribe. If the bee colony is strongly affected by foulbrood, then they get rid of it. Insects are destroyed with formaldehyde, those that crumble are burned. In the case of a constant manifestation of foul diseases, medicinal formulations are also given to healthy families.

The main groups of drugs that are used to treat foulbrood in bees are antibiotics and sulfonamides, such as sulfantrol or norsulfazole sodium.

Их смешивают с сахарным сиропом. Дозы лекарств при лечении пчел от гнильца рассчитывают, исходя от количества семей, которым необходима помощь. Расчет производится по объему сахарного сиропа. На одну улочку требуется 100-150 г, при распылении из пульверизатора – 100-150 г на одну рамку. Затем на 1 л сиропа добавляют лечебный препарат в дозировке по инструкции.

Treatment of foulbrood in bees with antibiotics

An effective way to deal with foulbrood of bees in the apiary. First, the amount of syrup is calculated, then an antibiotic is added to it and therapeutic measures are taken. In the treatment of foulbrood in bees with antibiotics, medications must be alternated. Effective drugs are:

• Ампиокс;
• Oxytetracycline;
• Rifampicin;
• Neomycin;
• Biomycin;
• Erythromycin.

Sulfonamides are also used – antimicrobial drugs.

A very good result against foulbrood is obtained by combining antibiotics with sulfonamides. For example, 2 g of norsulfazole is combined with 1 g of ampiox, diluted in 1 liter of sugar syrup and used for 5 frames. The number of treatment procedures for bees is 3-4 times. Regularity 1 time per week. For healthy families, the number of procedures is reduced to 2 times. The syrup is made from sugar and water in a ratio of 1:1.

На одну улочку необходимо 500000 биомицина. В 1 г миллион единиц, на семью из 12 рамок нужно взять 500 мг. Ветеринары утверждают, что дозу желательно увеличить и брать 1 г. Это связано с тем, что недостаточное количество антибиотика будет бесполезным. Тетрацикли, Неомицин, Окситетрациклин и Эритромицин берут в расчете 400000 единиц, норсульфазолнатрия 1 г, сульфантрол 2 г.

Bacteriophage is considered an effective drug in the treatment of foulbrood. Top dressing is prepared during the day, and the bees are given in the evening. This is less annoying for insects.

After the course of treatment, the family of bees is examined to ascertain the effectiveness of the measures taken.

Oxybactocid powder is on sale, the basis of which is oxytetracycline, and glucose and ascorbic acid are additional components. In addition to powder, the product is available in the form of strips. It is used for the treatment and prevention of foulbrood diseases of bees. Medicinal syrup is prepared from 5 g of powder and a quarter glass of water. Dose per 10 liters of syrup. One frame needs 100 ml of solution.

Ways to use drugs:

• dusting with medicinal powder from a mixture of the drug and sugar;
• spraying;
• candi

Methods of treating foulbrood in bees with folk remedies

Folk methods in the fight against the disease are considered ineffective. The replacement of drugs can only be fasting. However, modern beekeepers successfully use the treatment of foulbrood in bees with celandine. After the end of the last pumping of honey, prophylactic treatment with infusion of the plant is performed. An infusion of celandine is prepared from 100 g of fresh herbs and 2 liters of boiling water. Brew and infuse the mixture for 30 minutes. Pour the product into the sprayer, process not only the bees, but also the working surfaces of the hive.

Processing of hives and inventory

При обнаружении гнильца пчел, сразу пересаживают пчелосемью в чистый улей. Старое жилище и инвентарь дезинфицируют в закрытом помещении. Применяют раствор перекиси водорода (3%) + нашатырный спирт, раствор хлорамина, Фармайод, Доместос.

1. Медогонку смачивают средством, оставляют на 3-4 часа, затем смывают.
2. Canvases and all textile items are boiled in a lye solution for 30 minutes.
3. The hives are burned with a blowtorch, having previously been cleaned of wax. The second option is to cover with one of the solutions listed above several times with an interval of 1 hour.
4. Burn or disinfect metal objects in one of the solutions.
5. Wooden frames are boiled in a solution of caustic soda for 15 minutes.
6. Землю под уликами перекапывают с добавлением извести.
7. Honeycombs with parts of dead pupae are melted, the frames are burned, wax is used only for technical purposes.
8. Honey is used for food, but not given to feed the bees.

With a strong infection with foulbrood, families are disposed of.

A set of preventive measures

Treating families is laborious, so the focus is on prevention. Effective preventive measures against foulbrood include:

1. Careful inspection when buying queens or bee layers.
2. Annual disinfection of equipment, hives, storage rooms.
3. Очистка территории пасеки от мусора и грязи.
4. Annual renewal of 1/3 of the number of cells. Do not use old and black ones.
5. Поддерживание большого размера семей.
6. Исключение контакта пчел с семьями на карантине.

Многие пчеловоды применяют профилактические лечебные кормления с антибиотиками.

Conclusion

Гнилец у пчел доставляет много хлопот пчеловодам и снижает продуктивность семей. Чтобы этого избежать, нужно тщательно выполнять профилактические мероприятия. В случае заражения точно придерживаться указаний ветеринара.