[Efficacy of the APimicos-B to control and prevent chalkbrood disease in honey bees]
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Published on: October 9, 2017
J M Flores1, F Puerta, I Gutiérrez
1Centro Andaluz de Apicultura Ecológica, Departamento de Biología Animal, Campus Universitario de Rabanales, 14071-Cordoba, España. Ba1pupuf@uco.es
Abstract:
Chalkbrood disease in Apis mellifera is a fungal disease affecting developing brood, infested larvae become mummified. As it is a factorial disease, studies on this pathology are obstructed by the need of some predisposing conditions which must occur for such disease to develop. Thus, many questions are yet to be answered about which treatments to apply. The aim of this work is to evaluate the efficacy of the Apimicos-B, a treatment against chalk brood. To induce the disease, some pieces of combs containing susceptible worker brood both from infected and treated colonies and from infected and untreated colonies were cooled. No significant differences were registered (53.12% and 59.58% of mummification respectively).
Insights
Chalkbrood disease in honey bees (Apis mellifera) causes larval mummification. This study found the treatment Apimicos-B did not significantly reduce chalkbrood infection rates in affected bee colonies.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Apiculture
- Insect Pathology
Context:
- Chalkbrood disease, a fungal infection impacting honey bee (Apis mellifera) larvae, leads to significant colony losses.
- The multifactorial nature of chalkbrood necessitates specific predisposing conditions for its development, complicating research and treatment strategies.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the efficacy of a potential treatment, Apimicos-B, for controlling chalkbrood disease in honey bees.
- To assess if Apimicos-B can mitigate the severity of chalkbrood infestation under experimental conditions.
Summary:
- Honey bee colonies with chalkbrood were experimentally infected after cooling brood comb sections.
- Infected brood from both Apimicos-B treated and untreated colonies showed similar high rates of mummification (53.12% and 59.58%, respectively).
- No significant difference in disease progression was observed between treated and untreated groups.
Impact:
- The findings suggest Apimicos-B is not an effective treatment for chalkbrood disease in Apis mellifera.
- Further research is needed to identify effective interventions for this economically significant bee disease.
