pests and diseases of honeybees

7/27/2019 Pests and Diseases of Honeybees

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The major threatsBee brood diseases, exotic mites (exotic meaningnot known to exist in Australia) and the parasiteBraula coeca are some of the main threats to thecommercial apiary industry in Western Australia.

Prompt identication of these pests and diseasesis therefore vital to limiting the economic impacton hives.

This brochure aims to provide apiarists with ahandy guide enabling them to make a quickassessment for pest or disease presence.

As well as the symptoms of each pest or disease,this guide also advises the sample type required.These include larval smears, adult bees, combsampling and pest samples.

Honey samples can also be tested for AmericanFoulbrood disease (AFB) spores to indicate thelevel of infection within an apiary. Collect atleast 200 grams of honey from bulk storagecontainers. Samples can be sent to Animal HealthLaboratories DAFWA South Perth.

The suspected presence of any of the exotic pestsshould be reported to:

Exotic Disease Hotline – 1800 675 888Pests and Diseases Information Service 1800

084 881.

Published by APC Beekeepers’ Produce Committee 285 Leyland Close, Beechina WA 6556From information kindly provided by the NSW DPI Compiled by Linda Manning April 2012

For insertion in - B eeinformed The Newsletter of the Western Australian Beekeeping Industry 2000 copies printed

P e s t s a n d d i s e a s e s

o f h o n e y b e e s

a f i e l d d i a g n o s i s g u i d e

f o r W e s t e r n A u s t r a l i a n b e e k e e p e r s

WA Beekeeper registrationThe Western Australian Beekeepers Act (1963)was introduced to make better provision for theeradication of diseases and pests of honey bees,the orderly conduct of the industry and for theimprovement of the products from beekeeping.

Under the Act, all persons keeping honey beesare required to register with the Departmentof Agriculture and Food and to brand theirbeehives with a registered hive brand as allottedby the Register of Brands. All beehives must beregistered for the following year by 1 January.

Registration information assists the bee industryto control bee diseases and prevent residues inhive products. Specically it enables:

• Rapid contact with beekeepers if an exoticdisease or bee pest is detected in the State

• Provision of export certication for livehoney bees and other hive products

• The implementation of disease controlstrategies

To register logon to www.agric.wa.gov/PC_91802or phone 9780 6100.



Healthy larvae are pearly white,glistening and positioned in the centreof the cell.

In a healthy brood the caps on thebrood are convex (they bulge out)

Sealed stage

Healthy brood larvae

The ‘peppered’ appearanceof a diseased brood typicalof American and EuropeanFoulbrood

Notes: Be careful when checking the age of affected larvae. Bees can uncap diseasedsealed brood, giving the impression thatonly the unsealed brood is affected.

The larvae turnyellowish and assumeunnatural positionsin the cell. The fourlarge white larvaeare healthy. Onesmaller larva is

showing early signs of discolouration. Emptycells are characteristic

of this disease.

European Foulbrood (Eastern states only)

American Foulbrood (Endemic)

The caps on thesealed brood maybeconcave and/orperforated. In anumber of the cells,black scales can beseen on the side wallof the cell.

Age of brood affected Commonly brood of 3–5 days.Occasionally sealed brood.

Cell position of diseased brood Twisted, in a ‘C’ position. Occasionally stretched out on cell wall.

Colour of diseased brood Yellow-brown

Ropiness of moist material Sometimes ropes (like AFB)due to secondary infections but mostly with a lumpy orgranular appearance.

Smell Strong sour smell.

Scale characteristics Loose scales.

What should be sent for diagnosis Comb samplecontaining, or larval smear slide made from, suspect

brood.

Age of brood affected Brood of 7–10 days from latelarval to pupal stages.

Cell position of diseased brood Bottom of cells alongbottom ‘V’.

Colour of diseased brood Brown-black.

Ropiness of moist material Ropy to smooth.

Smell Little smell.

Scale characteristics Scales stick to cell walls.

What should be sent for diagnosis Comb samplecontaining, or larval smear slide made from, suspectbrood.

Photo: Rob Manning

Photo: Rob Manning



Age of brood affected Both sealed andunsealed brood, larvae and pupae.

Cell position of diseased brood Early stages:uffy and swollen to full dimensions of the cell.

Colour of diseased brood Generally white, butcan be grey-black (covered in spores).

Ropiness of moist material Nil.

Scale characteristics Loose; mummies rattlewhen shaken.

What you should send for diagnosis Mummies or comb containing suspect brood.

Chalkbrood (Endemic)

Dead brood can be covered with a uffy downycoating. The dead brood dries out, shrinks, andbecomes brittle and chalky.

Sacbrood (Endemic)

Age of brood affected Sealed brood of 7–10days and pupae.

Cell position of diseased brood On thebottom, or occasionally sides of cells; gondola/banana shaped.

Colour of diseased brood Yellow to grey-brown to black.


Scale characteristics Loose scales.

What you should send for diagnosis Combsample containing suspect brood.

The diseased larvae bloats and forms a gondola/banana shape that is slightly darker towards thehead.

Reddish-brown Tropilaelaps mite (adultsapproximately 1 mm long) on developing pupawhere they feed and lay eggs. Mites deformdeveloping bees or kill them outright. Theymove very fast on comb and bees.

Tropilaelaps Mite (Exotic)

Age of brood affected Late larval or pupalstage; some brood develops into deformed adultbees.

Diseased brood Reddish-brown mites can beseen.


Characteristics Deformed bees.

What you should send for diagnosis Beebrood sample containing mites or 30 + adultbees in a sealed container.

Braula coeca is a wingless y 1–5 mm long thatcan be seen with the naked eye. They are redand have 6 legs. They tend to collect mostly onthe queen bee.

The wingless ies attach themselves to the hairsof the honeybee’s body. The female lays hereggs under the cappings of honey comb. Theeggs hatch into larvae, then as the larvae feed,they form tunnels, damaging the honey comb.Larvae pupate, emerging as adults after3 weeks.

Braula do little damage, although they mayaffect queen bee performance. They only occurin Tasmania. Braula coeca is also called ‘Beelouse’.

What you should send for diagnosis Adulties in a sealed container.

Braula Fly (Exotic except Tasmania)

Photo: Ken Walker

Photo: M. V. SmithPhoto: Rob Manning

Photo: Dave Cushman



Laboratory contacts

Duty Pathologist Animal Health 9368 3351A Submission Form is needed for all samples

Animal Health LaboratorySpecimen Reception‘C’ Block DAFWA3 Barron Hay CourtSouth Perth 6151

Fees and charges will apply for diagnosis of endemic pests and diseases that are listed in

this brochure.

Further information

Contact Senior Apiculturist on 9368 3535.Logon to http://www.agric.wa.gov.au and lookunder H for Honey bees.

On bees

Varroamitesparasitisingan adultbee. Adult

workersand dronebees arethe mainmethod of transferringmitesamongst

bees and hives. This occurs when the bees toucheach other or drift to other hives.

Age of brood affected Brood just prior tosealing and after sealing.

Quick diagnosis use “sugar shake method” -one teaspoon of icing sugar in a bottle of bees- the sugar dislodges the mites from the bodiesof the bees.

What you should send for diagnosis Beebrood sample containing mites or 30 + adultbees in a sealed container.

Parasitic Mite Syndrome (PMS)

PMS describes the brood symptoms that occurwith high Varroa levels. Symptoms are similar toAmerican Foulbrood with chewed/ sunken brood

cappings in a peppered brood pattern. Larvaecan be in varied positions within the cell andoften have Varroa feeding on them. Unlike AFB,larvae are white or yellow in colour (not coffee),will not ‘rope out’, and dry scales can easily beremoved from the cells.

The Small HiveBeetle Aethinatumida (Murray)prefers warm to hothumid conditions.The adults are

broad, attenedbeetles about 5–7mm long and darkbrown to nearlyblack.

Larvae are elongatewhite grubs. Pupae

are white to brown and are found in soil beneaththe hive. From egg to adult takes 38–81 dayswith ve generations a year.

Adults and larvae inhabit hives where theyfeed on combs containing honey, pollen and

brood. The adult beetles cause little damageto the hive, however the larvae kill brood andcause honey to ferment. This can result inbees abandoning their hives. Larvae are mainlyactive over the summer months. The Apithorharbourage is approved for use.

What you should send for diagnosis Maturelarvae or adult beetles in a sealed container.

Varroa Mites (Exotic) Small Hive Beetle (Kimberley Region & Eastern States)

On pupae

Reddish-brown Varroa mites on a developedpupa where they feed and lay eggs. Mitesdeform developing bees or kill them outright.The Varroa mite adults are a scallop shell shape.The adult females are reddishbrown in colourand are 1.1 mm long and 1.7 mm broad. The

adult male is smaller and yellowish-white incolour. They are visible to the eye.

Varroa is a major pest throughout much of the world, with Australia being the last majorbeekeeping country to be free of the pest.

Unattributed photographs: Bruce Ward, Max Hill and Linda Manning

Photo: Rob Manning

Other pests and diseasesThese may include:

Disease Sampling method

Nosema 30 + Adult bees (fresh)

Viral 30 + Adult bees (fresh)

Pests Sampling method

Tracheal mite (exotic) 30 + Adult bees (fresh)

Wax moth Adult moths or maturemoth larvae

Any unknowns Contact SeniorApiculturist 9368 3535

Wax moth are particularly a problem of storedequipment. Wax moth larvae are similar but

can be recognised from small hive beetle larvaebecause wax moth larvae produce a silk webbing.

pests and diseases of honeybees

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