Most brood problems look alike from three feet away: a patchy pattern, some sunken cappings, a few dead larvae. What they mean depends on details that take a minute to check. A spotty pattern with multiple eggs per cell or drone brood in worker cells is a queen problem, not a disease. Sunken, perforated cappings over discolored larvae point toward a brood disease, though hygienic bees also open cappings to pull out mite-damaged pupae, so check underneath first.
Smell and texture separate the foulbroods: European foulbrood gives a sour smell and twisted, yellowed larvae that die before capping, while American foulbrood smells foul and a matchstick pushed into a dead cell draws out a brown rope. Dead larvae in uncapped cells at the nest edge after a cold snap are more often chilled brood than infection. The adult-bee cases get the same treatment: trembling, hairless black bees may mean chronic bee paralysis virus or a pesticide hit, and dysentery on the hive front does not by itself confirm nosema.
When field signs will not settle it, the section covers lab testing and when to call an apiary inspector. Quarantine anything suspect first; a diagnosis can wait a week, spread cannot.
Start here:
A silent hive is not always dead. Bodies and droppings on the snow are good news, silence at several spots is a warning, and a lid-up look on a mild day settles it. Then seal the hive and find out why it died.
A few dead bees in front of a hive is normal in every season. How to tell normal turnover from pesticide poisoning, disease, robbing and predation by speed, body condition, location and season.
In January 2023 the USDA conditionally licensed the first-ever vaccine for any insect, aimed at American foulbrood. Here's how it actually works and where it stands now.
Maryland's real, decades-old American foulbrood detection dog program, how it compares to other AFB tests, and similar programs abroad.
Table of Contents What Fumagilin-B Is Nosema Apis vs. Nosema Ceranae How Fumagilin-B Works How It’s Administered The Honest Effectiveness Question for N. Ceranae When Treatment Is Typically Used Non-Chemical…
Table of Contents What the Vita Test Kit Is How Lateral-Flow Testing Works Lateral-Flow Test vs. the Rope Test Step-by-Step Field Testing Reading and Interpreting Results Accuracy and Limitations What…
Table of Contents What Terramycin Is and What It Treats A Brief History: Decades as the Only Approved Option Prescription Requirements Today Application Formats: Dust, Grease Patty, and Syrup Terramycin…
Table of Contents What Tylan Is and What It Treats Prescription Requirements and Legal Status How Tylosin Works Against AFB Dosing and Application Methods When Antibiotics Help — and When…
Table of Contents What Shook Swarming Is Why Beekeepers Do It Which Colonies Are Good Candidates Equipment Needed Step-by-Step Process Feeding Afterward — and the EFB Exception Best Timing What…
Check for eggs first with the light behind you, then shake the frame and read open and capped brood separately. A one-pass brood and disease inspection method.
Patchy brood after a queen change is usually normal for about 3 weeks. Why it happens, what ND-MN research says about colony vs queen, and when it means trouble.
Most disease crosses between apiaries on comb, honey, used gear and robbing. Four research-backed rules to keep foulbrood and mites out of your other yards.
Credited photos of American foulbrood, European foulbrood, chalkbrood, sacbrood and their look-alikes, with the field sign that separates each and what to do if you suspect AFB.
Learn how to recognize wax moth damage vs disease in bee colonies with our expert guide. Discover the signs and solutions for a healthy hive.
Discover the reasons behind slimy brood in beehives. Learn what causes slimy brood in a hive and find effective solutions to this common beekeeping issue.
Which lab tests which honey bee disease, what USDA's free Beltsville service does and doesn't cover, and how to read Nosema, mite and virus results in 2026.
Discover the key differences between chronic bee paralysis virus vs pesticide poisoning, and their impact on bee colonies in the past.
Trembling, black, hairless bees usually mean chronic bee paralysis virus. Learn the signs, how to rule out pesticides and nosema, and what helps the colony.
Learn how to monitor weak colonies for disease with our expert tips and strategies for beekeepers. Discover the best practices to keep your bees healthy.
Brood vanishing in a nectar dearth? Workers eat eggs and young larvae to ration food. How to tell it from a failing queen or disease, and the 7-day recheck.
Discover the underlying black shiny bees syndrome causes and understand its impact on bee colonies in the present day.
Get expert advice on dealing with bee dysentery after winter cleansing flights. Our comprehensive guide covers diagnosis, treatment, and prevention techniques.
Discover the essential steps on how to quarantine a suspect diseased hive and safeguard your apiary against disease outbreaks.
Find out can you reuse equipment after chalkbrood. Our guide provides tips and best practices for safe equipment reuse and beekeeping hygiene.
Confused about moldy pollen vs diseased brood? Our guide provides clear insights and practical advice for beekeepers.