In article <001f01c254a7$091a8600$31b8193e@oemcomputer>, Peter Edwards
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>Is this correct?  If so, what is the explanation for bald brood before we
>had varroa?
>
>Peter Edwards
>[log in to unmask]


To back Peter up on this, we have had both the phenomenon of bald brood
AND chewed out brood (this thread does not seem to be distinguishing
between these two very different things) pretty well throughout my
beekeeping life (about 40 years).

Bald brood seems to have some genetic link and is apparently a benign
condition which comes and goes.

Chewed out brood is also common, and seems to be linked to defects in
the brood, I believe of a nutritional nature. It is very common here
late in the season, and ALWAYS has been, but can occur at other times
too. This is NOT nutrition problems linked to starvation, but more due
to lack of balanced diet. In autumn our bees have almost nothing but
heather pollen to feed the brood on, and are extremely persistent in
their attempts to find any other pollen they can get to supplement this.
They work a small flower called Tormentil throughout the heather season,
apparently in an attempt to find a different pollen. There could be a
trace mineral (or some other factor) problem causing malnourished brood.

I do not dispute what the 4.9ers are seeing, as I cannot see why the
change would stop the chewing, but it might be the only thing it has
cured is the beekeepers observational skills.
--
Murray McGregor