>From Gleanings at http://www.airoot.com/chalk.htm
 
"Like most fungi, chalkbrood produces spores for reproduction. Spores
are transferred to previously uninfested colonies by drifting bees,
using contaminated tools, or contaminated comb transfer. Once spores
are in a colony, they come in contact with 3-4 day-old larvae by being
fed to them, or clinging to cell walls. After being sealed in the
cells, if the larvae are chilled in the next two days, even briefly,
the spores germinate and begin growing when the temperature increases
again. They germinate in the gut, or on the larvae's surface, and
begin feeding (surface germinating spores work their way into the
larvae's gut). Once growing the fungus feeds on the same food as the
larvae and out-competes them. The larvae starve to death."
 
I wonder...
 
Is chilling *necessary* for chalkbrood to develop?
 
In my experience, bees keep their brood at 96 degrees plus or minus a
half degree.  Moreover, when brood chilling might ocur due to
contraction of the cluster, the centre would still stay at the
correct temperature.  While it seems I do recall more chalkbrood
around the outer edges, it seems to me that chalkbrood can as easily
be found in the centre of the middle brood comb.
 
(The article in question was excerpted from Pests, Predators and Diseases Third
Edition, Chapter 5, by Martha Gilliam and John Vandenberg)
 
What experiences do others have?  Is this statement credible?  Is
there research proving this?
 
 
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
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Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>