THE CAUSE OF DYSENTERY IN HONEYBEES

The composition of stored winter food in relation to dysentery was investigated. Methods. For two successive winters the bees in the University of Wisconsin apiary were divided in groups of two. Each group was given natural stores during the winter or provided stores of a known composition. The procedure for the second winter was decided by the results of the first winter's experiments.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
1. Dysentery of honeybees is caused by excess moisture in the feces.
2. This excess moisture is due to the consumption of dilute food or water. It is generally produced by crystallization of the stores; this divides the honey or syrup into a solid crystalline portion and a liquid portion. The liquid portion contains an excess quantity of moisture.
3. Pollen, dextrin, minerals, burned sugar, and fermenting syrup do not produce dysentery.
4. Chilling and disturbing honeybees may cause defecation, but do not produce dysentery in a healthy colony.
5. Long confinement of bees during the winter as well as a short confinement on unripe honey, produces dysentery.
6. Water alone or dilute syrups produce dysentery in bees if absorbed during confinement.
7. Dysentery appears when the fecal accumulations reach 33% of the total body weight of the bees. General defecation does not take place until the accumulation reaches about 45%.

Alfonsus, E. C. (1935). The cause of dysentery in honeybees. Journal of Economic Entomology, 28(3), 568-576.

[note: this was worked out almost 100 years ago, but alas, people persist in their ideas about dysentery, nosema, honeydew, etc.]

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