How to control American foulbrood

CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

DIGEST

American Foulbrood is the most. serious disease of bees in Wis-
consin, It is a bacterial disease carried in the honey and in old combs.
Getting rid of infected honey and combs means the eradication of the
disease. Pages 3-10

Extracting frames should not be saved. Although they may appear
to be free of. honey, there is always a possibility of a few drops of
infected honey being carried over. , Page 11

Scorching hive parts does not insure complete disinfection.. Drops
of honey may be left behind the rabbets or smeared on the outside
of the hive although the hive may be carefully scorched on the inside.

Page 12

Treating for Foulbrood must be carefully done to insure success.
Careless handling of diseased colonies is sure to spread infection.
: Pages 14-20

Ho Control American
——- Foulbrood

H. F. |Witson.

Ridding Wisconsin apiaries of foulbrood is almost entirely
in the hands of beekeepers themselves. Through co-operative
effort only can the amount of disease be reduced to a mini-
mum. In counties where local beekeepers’ associations exist
they are organizing clean-up campaigns and with the help of
the state apiary inspector are getting the better of the disease.

Wisconsin is a beekeepers’ paradise, for failures are few
and almost the entire state is covered with flowering plants
that secrete nectar readily. But for 20 years beekeeping has
suffered from a slowly-eatirig cancer that at one time threat-
ened to wipe out:the industry. Between 1900 and 1918, bee
diseases and winter losses caused a decrease of from 30 per
cent to 50 per cent of all colonies. Shortly before 1918 the
interest, among beekeepers had fallen to its lowest ebb and it
was a common: sight to see hundreds of empty hives instead
of prosperous and productive apiaries. Fortunately the dis-
ease situation is improving and American foulbrood, the chief
offender, is.slowly being eradicated through better inepece on
laws and more educational work.

The three brood. diseases of bees more or less common
in Wisconsin. are American foulbrood, European foulbrood,
and ‘sacbrood.

American foulbrood occurs wherever it has been carried
either by human agencies or by the bees themselves. Euro-
pean foulbrood<and sacbrood do not occur in a virulent form
over all regions of the state; and there is a direct influence of
climate and nectar secretions on both of these diseases. Sac-
brood is more ‘widespread and has caused more trouble this
past season than in any of the four years previously observed.
Its range does not.appear to be entirely affected by. the same

@

SE ee
. 5 @ TI bH
4 a & Ss BuLLETIN 333
a

factors that influence European foulbrood. The latter disease
is found more or less in all sections of the state, but occurs
in a highly virulent form only in certain. areas in the north-
west, west, and northeast parts of the state. Sacbrood is more
or less sporadic in all parts of the state.

Bacteria Cause AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN FOULBROOD

White! has clearly demonstrated that the three brood dis-
eases of bees known as American and European foulbrood and
sacbrood are caused by bacteria. The bacteria may be isolated
and the disease transmitted in the laboratory as well as in the
field. Sacbrood, according to his investigation, is caused by
a filterable virus.

Each disease develops symptoms peculiar to itself; and
when these symptoms alone are present, it is not difficult to
determine the specific disease. Unfortunately, however, there
are several other bacteria which live on the decaying larvae
and sometimes cause symptoms similar to those of American
foulbrood to occur with European foulbrood and sacbrood.
This often leads to confusion not only in the minds of inex-
perienced beekeepers but:to experienced men as well.

Persons of the widest experience are often misled by some
unusual symptoms. The only sure way of determining the
kind of disease is through a microscopical examination. If a
beekeeper finds diseased brood in a colony and does not know
the cause, he should immediately cut out a sample and send
it in to the state apiary inspector or to the apiarist at the state
experiment station.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS OF AMERICAN FOULBROOD

Sunken cappings often punctured, together with dead larvae
chocolate brown incolor, are symptoms of the disease. The
larvae cannot be removed from the cell but string out when
the attempt is made. When the disease is first introduced into
a colony (Fig. 1) the few cells which occur may be overlooked
easily. Just after death the larvae are a light coffee color
which gradually becomes darker. Finally, when decay is well
advanced, the larva loses its shape and melts down. In this

_ Stage the mass is quite stringy or ropy. As it dries out a scale

‘White, G. F.—Sacbrood: Bul. 431, U. S. Dept. of Agr., 1917.
American Foulbrood: Bui. 809, U. 8. Dept. of Agr., 1920.
European Foulbrood: Bul. 810, U. 8 ‘Dept. of Agr. 1990,

2

How to Controu AMERICAN FouLsroop 5

is formed in the bottom of the cell which can barat be re-
moved without breaking the cell wall. In examining old
combs for the presence of these sctales, they should be tilted at
an angle so that the bottom of the cell can be observed and the
light reflected so that if any foreign substance is present it
can be seen.

The disease gradually spreads through the brood nest and
normally ‘becomes widespread by fall (Fig. 2). A colony
‘usually dies out completely by the end of the second season
or is so weak in bees that it dies out in the winter or early
spring. A very distinct'’and disagreeable odor accompanies
severe cases. . :

GENERAL SYMPTOMS OF EUROPEAN FouLBROOD

Larvae usually die in younger stages and before cells are
capped over. It is not uncomnion for some cells to be capped
and punctured as in American foulbrood. This confuses the
beekeeper ; and samples should be referred to some authority
for identification. The disease appears worse in late spring,
and early summer when, hundreds and even thousands of
larvae may die in a. few weeks. The disease becomes less se-.
vere as the season advances and may be entirely eliminated by
the end of the season if there is a good honey flow.

The dead larvae are a greyish yellow at’ first and later turn
to a chocolate brown. They melt down or lose shape and are
found mostly at the back of the cell. -The scales formed by the
dead larvae are mostly loose and can be removed. by the bees.
They can often be jarred out and can be picked out without
breaking or rupturing the cell wall. Older larvae break down.
and cannot be removed entirely. The tissues do not string
out like the larvae in‘:American foulbrood, but are chunky and
. have the consistency of cornstarch pudding.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS OF SACBROOD

Sacbrood is not unlike American foulbrood in some of its
stages and might easily be mistaken for it. The larvae die
after the cells are capped and the bees may remove the entire
capping or puncture the cells as in the case of American foul-
brood. There is a decided difference with sacbrood, however,

in that larger punctures are made and usually only one. |

| FIG. 1--HOW AMERICAN FOULBROOD STARTS IN THE BEE COLONY

eased. No other cells could be found ‘in this hive at
10, 1919

The white circles indicate five cells in which the larvae are dis-

that time, June -

:

FIG. 2.—ADVANCED STAGES OF AMERICAN FOULBROOD
3 =i ue frame was removed from the. same hive shown in Fig. 1, July

ue

_8 Wisconsin BULLETIN 333

In American foulbrood there may be two or three very
small punctures; and the cap may be gnawed but not entirely
removed except in minute spots. In sacbrood the larvae ob-
served soon after-death have a slight yellowish tinge with the
front end slightly darker. The back part of the body may re-
main yellowish for some time, and gradually become: darker
while the head portions turn almost black. Often the larvae,
observed through the punctured cappings, appear brown with
a reddish tinge. The body wall of the larvae does not break
so easily as in the other diseases and the larvae may be re-
moved from the cell intact. The body when ruptured appears
as a granular mass with a more or less watery appearance. |
The larvae require a much longer time to dry down and the. |;
scales do not remain fast to the cell wall as in American foul-
brood.

How THE DISEASES ARE SPREAD

Little’ is known’ about the method: of “spread for European
foulbrood or sacbrood, but both of these diseases may appear
suddenly i in every colony in a yard. Package. bees placed on
empty drawn combs may develop the. disease as severely as
old colonies. In 1920, package bees shipped from Texas and
placed on sheets of foundation developed both diseases be+
tween May 1 and June 1. The season of 1920 was favorable
to these diseases and strong colonies suffered in the same
proportion as weaker ones. European foulbrood disappeared
as soon as the honey flow began, but the sacbrood did not dis-
appear until the honey flow was nearly over.

The spread of American foulbrood? from one state to an- |
other, or over widely separated areas, is due to shipping dis-
eased bees and infected equipment or honey.

Aside from buying diseased bees and bringing them into

a disease-free territory, the buying of, used hives and old combs’ ..-

is one of the most dangerous things a beekeeper can do. As a
rule, beekeepers who have old hives or combs to sell without. ”
bees have lost their bees through disease. “Old combs from
such sources-are almost sure to carry disease, especially if
there is honey in them.

Old combs from a region in which foulbrood is known to
occur should never be given to disease-free bees.

?Report of State Entomologist for 19 i
ioe eae gist for 1917 and 1918, Bul. 20, Wis. State

non

How to Contro: AMERICAN FouLBroop 9

Second hand hives and equipment should never be used
without first scraping and washing them in hot lye water.

Spread of disease locally is caused by exposing infected
‘honey to robber bees or through interchanging infected combs
from diseased to healthy colonies. When the disease once
appears in a yard, immediate measures should be taken to
stamp it out. No risk however small should be taken by
exposing a diseased colony to robbing; and, diseased, colonies
should not be opened at all during brood rearing when bees
are not able to gather nectar in the field. A single drop of
honey taken from a diseased colony may be sufficient to carry
the disease to a healthy colony.

After the honey flow, manipulation of diseased colonies
should be left until late October when brood rearing has
ceased. The danger is not so great then because the infected
honey will nearly always be put in the center of the brood nest
and will be consumed before the next brood rearing period
begins. '

REMOVAL oF INFEcTED Honey anp Comps NECESSARY

There is-but a single principle involved in the eradication
of American foulbrood. That is to destroy every living germ
in a hive and eliminate all sources of reinfection.

A study of the conditions within a diseased colony ‘shows
that the adult bees are not affected, and that they do not carry.
the disease except in the distribution of honey which contains
the bacteria or spores. When all germ-bearing honey and |
combs are removed from a colony of bees, the disease dis-
appears. _

A.certain amount of diseased honey is carried by the bees in
transferring them from the old ‘combs to sheets of foundation,
but apparently all of this honey is consumed during the first
24 to 48-hour period in the new hive.

A strong colony of bees when transferred to full sheets. of
foundation will, in less than 48 hours, draw out cells far
enough so that the queen will lay eggs in them. | They may |
also store small amounts of honey in ‘cells surrounding the
brood, but this honey is used up by the bees before the eggs
hatch. This provides a period of at least four days for the
entire.consumption of the honey. Then for a period of three
idays, theoretically, the young larvae are not fed honey, but

FIG. 3—ABANDONED APIARIES RESULTING UFROM AMERICAN
FOULBROOD

Neeteck: on the part of the poor. ihackeepes lenwes such deserted
apiaries as a menace to better heeleepersy

ee X
How to Controt AMERICAN FOULBROOD 11

royal jelly so that their food is not subject to infection dur-
ing that period except as the bacteria taken in with the food
_may remain in the mouth cavity of the nurse bee and become
mixed with the larvae food. However, from the fact that the
larvae do not show disease symptoms until after they have
reached the end of the feeding stage, it is possible that infec-
tion does not take place until after the larvae are three days
old. In this case there is an actual period of seven or eight
days in which all of the diseased honey carried from the old
brood chamber may be consumed. During this period, how-
ever, the bees will be bringing in food from the field and stor-
ing it in other parts of the hive as well as keeping a supply
near the brood nest. If infected honey can be reached either
in the store room or through exposed combs during the treat-
ment of other colonies, reinfection may occur. The bee-
keeper then must carefully carry out every detail of the treat-
ment and keep infected honey or combs in a tight storeroom.
No beekeeper who is careless. or neglects: to remove all in-
fected honey or combs and keep them away from the bees
can expect to eradicate disease from his apiary.

Way Exrractinc Frames SHouLD Nor BE Savep

Many beekeepers have attempted to save dry brood-free ‘ex-'
tracting combs thinking that unless brood had been reared in
them they were free from disease. Brood-free extracting
frames that are absolutely dry and free of small drops of dried
honey do not carry the disease. Careful observations show
that so-called dry combs are seldom entirely free from honey
unless the colony from which they are taken has been brought
near to the point of starvation.® If there is a fair amount of
stores present in the brood chamber, bees clean up the extract-
ing combs and usually—but not always—-put the honey in a
few cells. In many cases a very small amount may be left in a
cell and over a long period of time, perhaps five or six months
or from one season to another, these tiny drops dry out and
form a very small scale which does not show in glancing over
- the combs. These. small scales of dried honey may contain
spores of the disease and when honey is again stored in
these cells, the scales are softened and the spores liberated.
““ayust how the honey in the extracting supers becomes infected is
not clearly understood. During a heavy honey flow the bees deposit

nectar in the brood chamber and later carry if, to the supers—perhaps
this is the SXPIE AOR:

¢

12 Wisconsin BuLLETIN 333

Where the honey from these cells is fed to the bees, a new
infection is started which soon spreads to other parts of the
brood nest. a ee

In an experiment made in 1919, eight sets of : roo
free” dry extracting combs taken from colonies diseased with
' American foulbrood were given to eight two-pound packages
of bees. Sugar syrup was fed to these so that they had abund-
ance of stores up to the time of the honey flow. ;

In six of these, disease did not appear at all during the sea-
son. In two others the disease appeared with the first set ot |
brood and continued to increase until the colonies were treated
in July. While only two of the colonies became diseased, the,
amount of disease carried was 25 per cent. Such a high per-’
centage makes the use of dry extracting combs very dangerous.'

=

FIG. 4AMERICAN FOULBROOD ,CAUSED A HEAVY LOSS IN’
THIS APIARY

In 1918 an average of 187 pounds of honey per colony was produced
here. In 1919 nearly every colony was diseased and almost cleaned out
due to the introduction of the disease in the fall of 1918. |

Five sets of frames with foundation which had been worked
on but slightly or not at all were also taken from diseased colonies
of the year before and given to package bees. Sugar syrup
was fed to these colonies until the honey flow began. No dis-
ease appeared in any of these colonies. __

~ Does Scorcuinc Insure CoMPLETE DISINFECTION? -

Bees do not leave honey scattered about on the walls of the
hive or on frames and will immediately gather up the smallest

How To Contro. AMERICAN FouLBroop 13

drop that may fall from, a cell. ‘Therefore, there is no more
danger of the disease being carried on clean hive parts than
on the body of the bee. If the disease is spread at all outside
infected honey or combs, it would seem that the ‘bacteria
would adhere to the body of the bee and continue as a source
of infection indefinitely, for we know that. the spores of the
bacteria may live over for several years. On the other hand,
in every case where the diseased brood and infected honey is
removed the disease is eliminated; and we must conclude that
the bacteria are not carried over on the body of the bee. The
same is true of hive bodies and frames—if they are absolutely
free of honey the bacteria are not carried over on them.

In a large number of tests the hive body, bottom board and
cover were taken from a diseased colony: instead of from: a
clean hive. Clean frames with full sheets of foundation were
used and the bees brushed on to them. The percentage of
successful treatment was as large in every. case as with
scorched hive parts. The danger of using old hive bodies lies
in carrying them over until the next season and not’ thorough-
ly cleaning them of drops.of infected honey*which may have
gotten on to them after removal from the bees.

If all hive parts and frames are thoroughly scraped and
washed with hot lye water so that all particles of liquid or
crystalized honey are removed there is no danger of reinfec-
tion from this source.

Where a number of colonies are to, be treated, hive bodies
free of burr combs may be. taken from treated colonies and
used to shake other diseased colonies into if done at once.

Never use a hive body from a diseased colony on another
colony having drawn combs without scraping and cleaning.
Clean not only the inside of the hive but the outside and edges
as well. Take special care to clean up all honey from behind
the rabbets. 4

Scorching out the hive body is no safer than scraping and
washing unless every inch of surface both inside and out is
treated. Many beekeepers carefully scorch out the inside of
the hive but overlook honey behind the rabbets or smeared.
on the outside of the, hive.

FRAMES SHOULD BE SavepD

It is not economy to destroy the frames from diseased
colonies except where one or two colonies out of a large num-

14 Wisconsin ButieTin 333

ber are affected and the beekeeper undertakes to stamp out the
disease by destroying hive, bees and all. It is also unnecessary |
to scorch the frames but they must be scraped and cleaned of
wax and honey. To insure the removal of particles of erystal- |
ized honey place the frames in boiling water for five minutes’
and dip in a second tank of boiling water. If the frames are,

loose a few extra nails will make them rigid.
Wuy BEEKEEPERS FarL TO ERADICATE FOULBROOD

1. Careless manipulation during the treatment. ‘

2. Exposing diseased combs or honey to robbers. :
3. Failure to remove all infected honey from the hive body
yor frames.

4. Failure to clean up the extractor or floor of the extracting
house and storage room.

5, Leaving infected honey on the floor and then sétting hive
bodies in it after they are cleaned. The honey crystallizes
and may remain on the hive body until put on a colony the
following year.

6. Improper atténtion to hospital colonies such as leaving
them exposed and treating after the honey flow is over. All
hospital colonies should be treated before the end of the
honey flow.

Brusu But Do Not SHAKE

Shaking bees from combs infected with foulbrood is a bad
practice and is always likely to scatter diseased honey where
bees from healthy colonies may gather it. It is possible to.
brush bees from combs without spilling a drop of honey. This
requires but little more time than shaking. When bees are shaken
out of a hive there is always some danger that stray bees
carrying a load of honey may go into a neighboring hive.

- Bees are attracted to loose honey wherever they find it even
during a honey flow, and a few robber bees are always to be
found in the yard during a heavy flow.

When the treatment is finished, burn the brush. A brush
which has been used in the treatment of diseased colonies
‘should not. be used with healthy colonies. A whisk broom or a
bunch of stiff grass—tied so that pieces of grass will not break
off—is better to use than a brush having bristles that dip into
the cells. If a whisk broom is used, get a soft one and cut out
about one-half the brush part.

x

How to ControL AMERICAN FouLBROOD 15

WHEN anv How ro TREAT

Do not treat bees by
brushing unless there is suffi- -
cient honey coming in to
keep bees from robbing.
Diseased bees may be treated
in the late fall after brood
rearing has ceased by trans-
ferring to combs filled with
uninfected honey. a

Bees may be successfully
treated during any period of
a honey flow, but the most
desirable time is shortly
after the beginning of the
main honey flow. This
period for Wisconsin is June
15 to-June 20. Diseased

colonies found after the
honey flow is over should be e
treated in late October after a ‘MENT. TOR AMBICAN
: a FOULBROOD.
all brood rearing has ceased i
"by transferring to combs of ;, "ive 4,58,th¢,fouthreod colony... B
“disease-free” honey. Tf the brushed combs are to be placed.
operator is careful in transferring the bees at that time, robbers
will get very little honey, and this. will quite likely be put
where the bees will use it during the winter.

Plan your work and have your hive bodies ready so that
every diseased colony in the- yard can be treated on the same
or the eotowine day. — wet up the combs and clean. the hives
at once. e

The immediate removal of diseased combs and honey i is ihe. *
greatest insurance against reinfection.. Do not store the hives
over until next spring and do not bring a diseased hive or comb
into the extracting house or storeroom reserved for cere
free hives and supers.

If a colony is found diseased do not open it milion no honey
‘is coming in from the field. One of the most fruitful sources
of infection is the exposure of combs containing infected honey
or exposing diseased colonies to, robbers. Colonies of bees
vary greatly in the amount of robbing they do. Some colonies

16 Wisconsin BULLETIN 333

are continually on the hunt for stores while others remain
peacefully at home. Possibly the amount of stores has some

effect but no difference has been observed here between’

colonies having abundant stores and those with small amounts.
Diseased colonies that are weak at the end of the honey flow
should be destroyed at once. As soon as the disease is found,
close the hive, carry it into the cellar and destroy bees and

combs immediately. Also see that none of the bees escape after
they are in the cellar, for bees loaded with honey fly back to
the old stand. When they do not find the old home, they will
go to the nearest hive and be allowed to enter.

MeEtuHop oF TREATMENT

Regardless of the plan to be used, the principle is the same
in every case—removal of infected honey and disease bearing
combs. After trying several methods of accomplishing this
and observing the results, the following method seems to be
the simplest and safest if carefully done.

1. Colonies that are known to be diseased should not be

given extracting combs prior to the treatment. If colonies
have been supered and the bees have built comb between the
frames, lift off the extracting supers. Then starting with the
one next to the brood chamber, draw a knife between each
‘frame and separate it from the next. Do not do this until
‘the super is placed back on the hive. .The operator should
carry a can of steaming hot water with him and drop the knife
into the water while moving the supers. Be careful not to

allow any honey to drop outside the hive. This operation

should be done the day before treating so that the bees will |

clean up the edges of the comb. The job of treating will then

be less ‘messy and the chances of dropping honey outside the .

hive will be greatly reduced.

2. Select an empty hive body that is bee tight and nail a
tight bottom to it. Then place a cover on it that can be ‘moved

freely back and forth when diseased combs are being put”

into it.

3. If the colony is only of medium strength, use one brood
chamber with full sheets of foundation. With unusually.
strong colonies use two. Place an- empty super on, these to
brush the bees into.

How To Controt AMERICAN FouLBRoop 17

FIG. 6.—A SOURCE OF INFECTION FOR NEARBY COLONIES

After the bees died out from American foulbrood the ‘wax moths
entered and destroyed the combs in this hive. The honey which leaked,
out was a source of ready infection for healthy colonies,

4, Place the hive ‘body which is to receive the diseased
‘combs to the left and rear of the colony to be treated, and put |
the supers of foundation and Empey super at the left of the
diseased colony. |

5. Now lift the diseased hive from the bottom | Board and
place on a tight fitting board at the right of the old stand.
Then place a queen excluding board on the bottom board still
on the old stand and set the clean hives and super on top of
the queen excluder. The excluder will help a great deal to
keep the bees from absconding.

- 6. Slide the cover of the diseased colony slightly to one

side. Then lift out a frame and stand it on top of one of the

frames below the empty super into which the bees are to be

brushed. The bees may then be brushed off, no honey will be

thrown onto the frames and less honey will be carried into the |
new hive than when the bees are shaken from the frames. As
soon as the bees are brushed from the comb, place it in the
hive body at the left-and cover. .

If more than one hive body was on the diseased colony stack
_ them one above the other with a bee tight board below and

18 Wisconsin BULLETIN 333

the cover above. When the frames from one body have been
removed, shift the empty body to the top of the hive body
now holding the diseased combs and use it to hold the next
set of frames.

7. As soon as a colony has been treated, remove all infected

FIG, 7—DISHASE MEANS WASTE

eee two years American foulbrood killed 120. colonies “which had been
producing annually 12,500 pounds of extracted honey.

combs to the storeroom before treating the next colony.

8. Do not wait until fall or winter to melt up the wax and
clean the combs. Do it at once. Otherwise you are almost
sure to have your yard accidentally reinfected before fall.

Even with the most careful treatment reinfection may ap-
pear in a few colonies either the same or following year.
These should be treated or destroyed ‘as soon as a few cells
appear.

THE DousLe-SHAKE TREATMENT

‘Some beekeepers | recommend the “double-shake method.”
The bees are first shaken onto frames with starters. After
about four days these are removed and the bees shaken a sec-

How to Controt AMERICAN Foutsroop 19

ond time onto full sheets of foundation. This sceaeucuity in-
sures getting rid of the disease if no outside source of infection
exists.

FIG. 8—DISEASE WAS FORCED. OUT

This apiarist cured 185 colonies of the disease and later had for sale
7,882 pounds of comb honey and 4,750 pounds of extracted honey.

dans Comes Usep Wire, Founpation

fe Wisconsin beekeepers there is a practice which is
more or less doubtful as to success... When the bees are run
-onto full sheets of foundation, one frame at the side of the
hive is left out and an old drawn comb is put in its place.
’-The idea is that the bees store the horiey they have. brought
with them in. this comb and that by removing it the next or
following day the infected honey will all be removed. The
very fact that the bees store honey in this comb makes the
practice dangerous. No matter how careful a beekeeper may
be, he cannot open the hive and remove the comb without in-
citing a number of bees to gorge themselves with honey from
this comb. Thus the period for using up the infected honey
‘carried by the bees at the time of shaking has been reduced 24
to 48 hours, | By that time cells will be sufficiently built out on
the foundation for immediate Storage of the honey carried
from thé old comb. —

20 WISCONSIN BULLETIN 333

DrsposaL or Honey anp Broop From DisEasep COLONIES

If only one, two, or three colonies in a yard are found dis-
eased it is better to destroy the brood at once by burning in a
closed space of some kind. If a whole yard is to be treated,
so-called “hospital colonies’ may be made by stacking the
combs from four or five colonies on top of a:slightly diseased
colony above a queen excluder until the brood is hatched out.
Then the “hospital colonies” are treated and the brood combs
from them are melted down or destroyed.

Hospital colonies kept around a yard are extremely dan-
gerous and are likely to be a continual source of reinfection
no matter how carefully they may be looked after.

Honey from such colonies should be extracted and bottled
as soon as taken from the hive. All combs, including those
with brood from the lower hive body of each colony, should be

‘melted down and the wax extracted at once.

Hospital colonies should not be allowed to run longer than
21 days before treatment. The bees should be removed from
the upper stories by means of a bee escape and the hive bodies
removed and carried into the storeroom before treating the
bottom part.

Hospital colonies should be set at some distance from the
main yard and all hive bodies must be bee tight except for the
entrance.

Hive bodies and hive ae from hospital colonies should be
thoroughly scraped and cleaned before using on other colonies
because during the period of treatment they are likely to be

somewhat smeared with honey and it is almost sure to carry

spores of the disease from these colonies.

Tue BrEKEEPER His Own INSPECTOR

Every person who keeps bees should frequently look
through the brood nest of each colony to see that conditions
are normal. If the appearance of healthy brood is well known,
any abnormal condition will be easy to detect. If diseased
or dead larvae are found, report the condition either to the
local or state inspector.

A single diseased larva in the spring may result in a badly
diseased colony in the fall. Such a colony may become weak-
ened to the extent that it is robbed out and the disease scat-
tered to many colonies in the yard. ‘

_ How to Controt AMERICAN FouLBRoep 21

In exceptional cases, very strong colonies are able to over-
come a slight infection; and it is not unusual to find colonies
in which the disease continues but does not seem to make
much progress during any one season.

Cases of this kind are very rare but the danger of spread is
so great that these colonies should be treated the same as
other diseased colonies. Treat your own bees as you would
wish your neighbor to treat his if his apiary were diseased

. and yours were clean:

!

How To Sup SampLes oF INFECTED CoMB

When selecting a sample to send in for examination, be
sure to get a piece of comb three or four inches square. Do
not pack in a tin or paper box but use wood. A small cigar
box is ‘good.

Co-operate with your neighbor beekeeper and his
neighbor beyond to locate the disease in every infected
apiary. Help wipe out foulbrood by cleaning up your
own yard if it is diseased. Organize a local clean-up
campaign to drive the disease entirely out of your
county.

EXPERIMENT STATION STAFF

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY

H. L. RUSSELL, DEAN AND DIRECTOR

F, ae Morrison, Asst. Dir. Exp, Sta-
tion

W. A. HENRY, Emeritus Arieuitane
. M. Bancocx, Emeritus Agr. Chem-
istry

io:

. S. ALEXANDER, Veterinary Science

i As Aust, Horticulture

. A. BuacH, Veterinary Science

Boustept, Animal Husbandry

. J. Cote, In charge of Genetics

cae DELWICHE, Agronomy (Ashland)

G. Dickson, Plant Pathology

FW. -Durres, Agr. Engineering

E. ».H. FARRINGTON,
Dairy Husbandry

'-E. B.. Frep, Agr. Bacteriology

Ww. D. FRos7, Agr. Bacteriology

J. G. FULLER, ‘Animal Husbandry

W. J. GE, Soils

E. M. GILBERT, Plant Pathology

L. F. GraBer, Agronomy

E. J. GRAUL, Soils

¥F. B. HADLEY, In charge of Veterin-
ary Science.

J. G, Hapin,
“Husbandry

P. N. HarRMeEr, Soils

Beene

E. B. Hart, In charge of Agr. Chem-
istry

E. G. Hastines, In charge of Agr.
Bacteriology ;

C. S. Huan, Librarian

B. H. Hrssparp, In charge of Agr.

“Economics

A. W. Hopxins, Editor, in charge of
Agr. Journalism

R. S. Hutce, Animal Husbandry

G. C. HUMPHREY, In charge of Ani-
mal Husbandry

J. A. James, In charge of Agr. Edu-
_ cation

A. G. JoHNsoN, Plant Pathology

J. JOHNSON, Horticulture

E. R. JONES, In charge of Agr. En-
gineering

L. R. Jones, In charge “of Plant
Pathology

G. W. Kerrt, Plant, Pathology

F, KLeINHEINZ, Animal Husbandry

HE. J. Kravs, Plant Pathology ©

-B. D. LerrH, Agronomy

E. W. ‘LINDSTROM, Genetics

T. Macktin, ‘Agr. Economics

ABBY L, MARLATT- In charge ef Home.

Economics
J. G. Mitwarp, Horticulture
J a Moore, In charge of Horticul-
‘ure
R. A. Moors, In charge of Agronomy
FE B. Morrison, Animal Husbandry
G. B. Mortimer, Agronomy
F. L. Muspacu, Soils (Marshfield)
W. H. Prererson, Agr. Chemistry
GRIFFITH RICHARDS, Soils

i

EH.
A. L,
Ww.

In charge of

In charge: of Poultry .

Pave
aa ee {LAMBLETON, Economic Entomol-,

J, A. Jamus, Asst.’ Dean
K. lL. Harcn, Asst. Dir. Agr. Exten-
sion ‘service

R. H. Roperts, Horticulture

J. L. Sammis, Dairy Husbandry

H. H. Sommer, Dairy Husbandry

H. STBENBOCK, Agr. Chemistry

W. STEwART, Soils

Stonn, Agronomy ’

A. SUMNER, Agr. Journalism

J. SWPNEHART, Agr. Engineering.

W. E. ToTTINGHAM, Agr. Chemistry

E, Truoe, Soils

R, E. VAUGHAN, Plant Pathology

H. F. wiuson, In charge of Economic
Entomology

A..R. WHITSON, In charge of Soils

A. H. WrRicHT, Agronomy i

W. H. Wrieut, Agr. Bacteriology

O. R. ZeAsMAN, Agr. Engineering

H. W. ALBERTZ, Agronomy ‘ s
Frepa M. BACHMANN, Agr. Bacte-
riology

MARGUERITH Davis, Home auano aes
J. M. Farco, Animal Husbandry
Cc. L. FLUKE, Economic Entomology
FRAZIER, Agr. Bacteriology

R. tT. ex annts, Dairy Tests

E. D. HoLpEeN,. Agronomy

J. H. Koxs, Agr. Economics
Grace LANGDON, Agr. Journalism
. J. Matuoyr, Soils

. MENDUM, Agr. Economics
NELSON, Agr. Chemistry
“THOMSEN, Dairy Husbandry

L.
Ww. B. TISDALE, *Plant Pathology

J. A. ANDERSON, Agr. Chemistry and
Bacteriology

R. M. BetHKeE, Genetics

Rute BITTERMAN, Plant Pathology

O. R. Brunxow, Agr. Chemistry

N. S. Fisu, Agr. Engineering

O. H. GeRHARDT, Agr. Chemistry

C. A. Hopper, *Agr. Chemistry

oO. N. JOHNSON, Poultry Husbandry

J. H. Jonss, Agr: Chemistry

L. K. Jonss, Plant Pathology

HENRY KELLER, Agr. Economics

A. E, Koruurr, Agr. Chemistry

S. LepKovsky, Agr. Chemistry

J. L. LusH, Genetics

OscaR MagcistTap, Soils

R..O. NAFZIGER, “Agr. Journalism
N. T. Newson, Agronomy

E. Ranxin, Agr. Chemistry

META SCHROEDER, Agr. Bacteriology
Mariana T. SELL, Agr. Chemistry
P. W. Senn, Genetics

W. S. SmirH, Assistant, to the Dean
J. H. VERHULST, Agr.. Chemistry
C. HE. WALsH, Agr. Engineering

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Eboteninnny
Photomount
Pamphlet
Binder
Gaylord Bros., Inc.

Makers

Syracuse, N. Y,
PAT. JAN 21, 1908

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