Bee Diseases & Treatments

Honeybees are susceptible to various diseases that are caused by pests, parasites and pathogens. As such, there are treatments available to counter these diseases to get your colony back to full strength.

Chalkbrood Disease Treatment for Honey and Mason Bees

Chalkbrood Disease

A major affliction of honey and mason bees is the chalkbrood disease, which caused by the fungus Ascosphaera Apis. The diseases afflicts colonies of the honey bee the world over. It mummifies the larvae of honey bees, leaving larvae in bee brood cells hard on the outside and white on the inside. The mummified larvae looks like a piece of chalk, hence the name chalkbrood. This disease of honey bees affects both sealed and unsealed brood in a colony. These mycelia multiply and eventually engulf the entire larvae inside the cell and kill it. This guide helps you with chalkbrood disease treatment for honey and mason bees.

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Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus – Control and Treatment

Beekeepers face a lot of challenges that range from predators, honey bee diseases, pests, parasites, and weather elements. It takes gut to raise a successful bee colony. Among the diseases that cripple honeybee colonies is the Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV). This is one of the RNA viruses that pose a serious threat to the health and wellbeing of honey bee colonies. It causes some lethal and sub lethal infections. The IAPV falls in the dicistroviridae family. Most viruses get into the honey bee system through ingestion. Once inside, they then pass through the gut epithelial cells. Proper hive hygiene, good nutrition, and regular hive maintenance can help prevent most of the viruses and diseases in bee colonies. The cultural, chemical, and mechanical solutions also help minimize and eliminate infections in case an hive has already been infested.

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How to Treat Dysentery in Honey Bees

How to Treat Dysentery in Honey Bees

Harsh winters have many effects on wintering honey bee colonies. They often have you wondering how to treat dysentery in honey bees after you notice the problem with your colony. Dysentery in honey bees is a huge concern for beekeepers because it can lead to more serious problems in the colony. Timely inspections of beehives even in winter, help you identify this problem in affected beehives and address it on time. The biggest problem with dysentery in honey bees is that it can be a standalone problem, or a symptom of another problem plaguing the colony. Therefore, it is important that you are able to identify this problem in honeybee colonies in your beekeeping operation and address it.

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Black Queen Cell Virus Treatment for Honey Bees

Black Queen Cell Virus

The unchecked spread of diseases such as the Black Queen Cell Virus in honey bee colonies negatively affects the agricultural sector across the world, because of agriculture’s dependence on bees for pollination. It is therefore very important to understand the causes, course and control of diseases afflicting bees, to be in a position to protect the bee colonies that are so valuable to the whole agricultural industry.

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Nosema Treatment for Honey Bees

Nosema is a fungal parasite of honey bees that causes the disease Nosemosis. There are two species of the microsporidian parasite: one is the Nosema Apis and the other is the Nosema Ceranae. Both are problematic to beekeepers in the USA and globally. The Nosema Ceranae has spread in recent years to many parts of the world. In the USA and Europe, Nosema Apis was the endemic species. However, the Nosema Ceranae has evolved alongside the Asian honey bees and then spread throughout the world. Avoiding losses from Nosema infections is important in beekeeping. This article gives you better understanding of the disease and how to go about conducting Nosemosis treatment for honey bees.

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Terramycin Powder for Honeybees – Control American Foulbrood

Terramycin Powder for American Foulbrood Disease

Today, beekeepers have to contend with diseases, pests as well as state and federal regulations governing the beekeeping industry. Terramycin helps beekeepers control one of the most significant diseases of honey bees - the American foulbrood (AFB) disease. This guide takes you through use of Terramycin in its powder form to help bees weather the disease in the beehive. Beekeeping has become an important agricultural practice raking in millions of dollars each year from sales of honey and other bee products. However, unlike some decades back, establishing and running an apiary is no longer a simple affair. The days when the main concern of beekeepers was simply establishing honey bee colonies are long gone.

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Sacbrood Disease Treatment and Management for Honey Bees

Sacbrood Disease

Sacbrood disease is a condition that affects honey bee brood. The disease causes death of afflicted honey bee larvae. Any honey bee larvae that has the disease does not pupate. Adult honey bees can be affected by the disease too, but does not show any characteristic symptom. Even then, the lifespan of the afflicted adult bee is significantly reduced. Sacbrood disease in honey bees is caused by a virus called the Sacbrood virus (SBV). So far, research has found more than one genotype of this virus. This article helps you understand the disease better and also takes you through treatment and management for honey bees.

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European Foulbrood Treatment and Management for Honey Bees

The honey bee colony in the beehive is one large organism, because each bee depends on the other to survive. A disease affecting any bee in the beehive can cause a lot of damage to the entire honey bee colony. The European foulbrood disease is one such affliction of honey bees. It is caused by a bacterium called Melissococcus Plutonius. European foulbrood has spread around the world and is today impacting honey bee colonies in all beekeeping regions. This guide sheds light on European foulbrood treatment and management for honey bees. It also explores the effects of the disease on beehive products including honey.

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Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV) – Symptoms and Diagnosis

Acute Bee Paralysis Virus

Over the last decade, beekeepers have had to find ways of retaliating against some of the problems they face. These include diseases, pests, parasites, predators, and weather elements. The common diseases that affect honey bees have forced researchers to go back to the drawing board and find ways of countering them. The Acute Bee Paralysis Virus, also referred to as ABPV, is among the diseases that pose a serious risk to beekeeping enterprises globally. It was discovered for the first time during the laboratory works on the identification of the causative agent of bee paralysis, i.e. the Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus (CBPV).

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