[log in to unmask] wrote:


> Well, there were few bees, and not much brood
> in a very bad pattern.  There was evidence of dead pupae, or maybe larvae,
> which looked like little white puddles in the bottom of the cells.  In some
> places, these puddles had dried up, turning kind of grayish.  First through
> my mind was AFB, but a few things don't make sense - why would the worker
> bees be carrying out so many mostly dead workers if AFB was the problem?
> Isn't it just an immature bee disease?  By the way, I rolled about 40 bees
> with the ether (it was difficult to get larger samples, because the bees were
> spread out on the combs) and only four mites stuck to the jar sides.

Suppose you were to have both AFB (maybe EFB) and varroa mites.  The basic
problem does seem to be AFB, but you don't specify all the symptoms.  Are the
dead brood larvae or pupae?  Are they in capped cells, and if so are the
cappings sunken and often perforated?  Does the dead brood tissues string out
when tested with a small stick?  These would be signs of AFB.  EFB attacts
pupae, but also larvae, so its makes a difference what you are observing.

Now scattered cells with dying pupae is also seen in colonies on the verge of
collapse from varroa infestation.  However, you should have seen more mites than
that.  In a colony that will be OK, at this time of the year I observe 4 - 6
mites on many drone pupae.  I say it will be OK because I will install strips
very soon now - without treatment these colonies will be dead by November.  Did
you pull drone pupae and observe whether or not they had mites?

Ted Fischer
Dexter, Michigan USA