I find smells of the hive during nectar flows are a good indicator.
>Pete commented about when it isn't, saying that the scent disappears or subsides.<
I've observed that there's a human olfactory component. Just as genetics make some substances taste terrible to a part of the human population, and not to others, I have encountered people who 'like' the scent of skunks, and I have seen many experienced beekeepers who can't smell much of anything in a beehive.
I can smell AFB, whenever downwind of an AFB hive, even at very low levels of infection. I have two 20-year bee research employees. Both know bees very well. The better of the two can't smell AFB at all.
In my own household, I'll ask - what's that smell, and my significant other asks "What Smell?". Even she admits that I have a better ability to detect things that have gone bad.
A few years ago, I looked at two AFB hives of a member of one of our local clubs. I got a message on Sunday, asking if I could come to look - the hive was described as somewhat looking like AFB, but no smell.
I went up on a Monday and met the group.
I knew the hives were foul from at least 20 feet away. NONE of six attendees could smell it. After we opened the hives, I pulled the worst frame, walked over, and held it under everyone's nose. Four could smell it, two couldn't.
Finally, having worked with bees in most US states and many other countries, I've learned that there are local geographical differences in hive smells. The first time that I encountered Golden Rod on the East Coast, I almost had a melt-down. To my nose, it was like a very bad case of foulbrood, but the smell was somewhat off. Big relief when the hives, upon inspection, were healthy. I had to talk to local beekeepers and look around to confirm that it was the Golden Rod, something we don't have much of in MT.
Jerry
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