Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1921-09-02
PEOPLES FORUM
Kill Foul Brood

w ~ "a AEN ~ "lH .N'''''N+@ -
way the beekoepors of this island
have co-operatcd with me, They
have been more hospitable, more
attentive to instructions than any
community | have yet entered. 1t
is a pleasure to work with people
who seem to appreciate the situa-
ton and try to rectify their
errors. They say, Every cloud
has "A silver lining" The above
and prospects of eliminating dis
ease from the Island is the silver
lining which surrounds an enotm-
GUS black cloud--the present dis
eased condition of the bees. |
fear few beckeepers realize how
serious conditions have become.
There have been only three yards
which / have entered since my so
journ here, which has been free
of disease. The situation has be-
come so serious that the question
has resulted in two alternatives
either the beekeepers must fight
and clean up the disease or the
disease will kill all our bees.
For the benefit of many Of the
bcekeepers, who We're unable to
attend the meeting held last
night, l have been requested to
write this article describing the
characteristics and symptoms Of
the two brood diseases and how
to treat them.
The American foul brood is
caused by spore bearing bac-
terium, bacillus larvae. This
germ is very resistant which fact
has been established by various
experiments. Combs have been
kept for forty years and at the
end of that period caused the dis
ease. One-half of the spores have
been as good as ever after being
boiled for ten minutes, and some
of our strongest chemicals. such
as corrosive sublimate or carbulic
acid, failed to kill them. The
spore is carried in the honey or
upon old combs, thus one must
be very careful and not expose
diseased honey or combs where
the bees may find them. The dis
ease attacks the larvae about two
days before the cells are capped
over and before the larvae
changes to the adult form. The
Tapping starts to sink and a lit
tie pin hole appears in the cap,
or possibly larger, being gnawed
out by the bees. The scales and
the diseased larvae adhere to the
cell which makes if impossible for
the bees to handle this disease
without assistance. The larvae,
when affected, changes to light
brown then becomes darker in
color and finally melts down into
a black scale which lies along the
bottom of the cell. The ,1.case
spreads slowly and does not
affect adult bees. If comb be-
comes very badly infected it will
have very foul odor, something
like burnt glue. The scale of the
Ipupa will have very fine thread,
which is the tongue of the bee.
pointing upward and, in many
cases, sticking to the roof of the
cell, AS this characteristic APP
pears only in American foul brood
it is conclusive proof of its pres
ence. As the majority of the
cells are capped and scattered
over the comb, the comb has a
IpePper-box like appearance.
The European foul brood is
caused by the germ bacillus
Ipluton, which is a non-spore form
ling bacterium and thus not as re-
Isistant as American foul brood.
1t is not known definitely how
this disease spreads but it is be-
licvcd to be carried by the nurse
and house-cleaning bees. This
disease attacks the larvae when
they are about four or five days
old and they generally die before
they are capped over. The larvae,
after infection, first turns a wa
terry white, after losing its healthy
creamy appearance, then changes
from yellow to dark brown.
The larvae, when attacked, are
IcWIed up in the bottom of the cell
thus one will usually find the
scales in that position. As the
larvae dries into a scale the ira
cheal or breathing tubes of the
bee become prominent, forming
white demarkations, giving the
Iarva a segmented appearance.
The scales are loose and are easily
taken from the cell-due to this
fact a strong colony can usually
handle this disease without asst
lance. This disease snreode ,,,,,;1