American foulbrood
American foulbrood is caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae. The disease is notifiable in Denmark and must be controlled.
This guide is based on Danish conditions and rules. Rules, products and timing in your country may differ.
Signs of the disease
- Uneven, patchy brood with dead pupae.
- Sunken, dark and perforated cell cappings.
- A sour smell.
- Dried larval remains (scales) at the bottom of the cells.
The matchstick test
- Find a cell with a sunken or perforated capping.
- Insert a matchstick into the dead larva and pull it out slowly.
- If the mass draws out a brown, sticky thread of more than 2 cm, American foulbrood is strongly suspected.
If you suspect it: Do not move frames or equipment between colonies, do not feed honey from other sources, and contact the Danish public bee disease service, Offentlig bisygdomsbekæmpelse (Aarhus University, Slagelse), or your local bee disease inspector immediately. It must be reported.