Sunday, January 25, 2009

BAD NEWS

The beehive has some chalkbrood, which is a caused by the fungus Ascosphaera apis. It infects larvae that are then killed and shrivel into white chalk-like bits. There is no treatment per se, but there are various techniques used to combat chalkbrood. They include replacing the queen, discarding infected brood comb, providing water with a little clorox, and keeping hives well-ventilated but dry. We aren't at a very drastic stage of chalkbrood right now; that's not our biggest worry.
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~reute001/images/disease/F5a-chalkbrood.jpg



There is some new larvae in the bottom box (none in the top). The newest generation however is full of varroa mites!!! Bad news. I will put more powdered sugar soon.
Honeybees are Dying Out by amycho90.

1 comment:

Jonna (aka Gaia) said...

How are things looking now V.?