Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: james on August 18, 2013, 07:27:06 am

Title: American Foul Brood????
Post by: james on August 18, 2013, 07:27:06 am
Today i think we have found American foulbrood in one of the hives, I need some feed back, what do you think?????
there was a ropeness to the brood, then numbers in the hive was low, hadnt been checked for a while
thanks for any responses
(http://s22.postimg.org/f5u3xfwi5/photo_1.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/f5u3xfwi5/)
Title: Re: American Foul Brood????
Post by: amun-ra on August 18, 2013, 08:34:39 am
Hi james Im a newbee  but from the pic I would report that tommorow first thing and begin with tests before it spreads to me it looks like it  :'(
Title: Re: American Foul Brood????
Post by: 10framer on August 18, 2013, 12:17:41 pm
yes.  look at the frame from the top down and you'll most likely see dark scales at the bottom of the cells too.  i don't know what the laws are down there but i'd burn that hive as soon as i could and i'd scorch my hive tool immediately.  i'd even lightly scorch the bellows on my smoker just to be safe.  if you have more than one yard i'd limit the use of that tool and smoker to that yard.  i'd quarantine that yard for a while, too.  no equipment out and i wouldn't take any more in if i didn't have to.  sorry.
Title: Re: American Foul Brood????
Post by: Brian D. Bray on August 18, 2013, 06:24:45 pm
Very good advice because you definitely have AFB in that hive.  10framers advice about the sterilization of tools is excellent and a point that is often overlooked which results in spreading the disease.  Sterilizing the tools used on a hive found to be infected with AFB must be done ASAP and at the very least should be immediately set aside until they are sanitized and another set used.
A beekeeper aware of the effects and possibility of AFB always has a spare hive tool, gloves (if used), and smoker in case.
A hive found to be infected with AFB should be destroyed as soon as possible avoid further infection of the apiary.  The apiary should be quarantined and frequent inspections made for at least 30 days after destroying the infected hive.  The tools used in inspecting the quarantined apiary should only be used in that bee yard, sterilized after each, until one is confident that the threat of further AFB infection is past.

Large populations of bees in each hive is the best prevention against disease as a strong hive usually has the ability to defeat most bee diseases as long as it remains strong.  Once a hive begins to weaken it becomes more susceptible to bee diseases. 
Title: Re: American Foul Brood????
Post by: Anybrew on August 18, 2013, 07:10:30 pm
Hi James, I have been there and had that AFB wins my vote. If in doubt which I'm not,contact the DPI Office at Bathurst in particular contact Nick Annand and he will send you a set of slides with instructions and provide awesome advice.
Nick Annand
Livestock Officer (Apiculture)
NSW Department of Primary Industries
PO Box 1386
Bathurst NSW 2795
Phone (02) 6330 1210
Fax (02) 6332 1458


I junked my gloves,washed my suit in bleach (And all tools scorched the ground near the hives as well) a few times and burnt all my gear :(