Chilled Brood
Causal agent |
None |
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Age group |
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Egg |
Larvae |
Pupae |
Adult - worker |
Drone |
Queen |
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No |
Yes (all ages) |
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Clinical signs |
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Season |
Weather turns
suddenly cool. Brood area temperature
drops below 35ºC |
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Outside |
None |
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Odour |
None |
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Brood |
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Cappings |
Uncapped brood on the
very edge of the brood nest will not be covered |
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Larvae appearance |
Chilled larvae will
die and turn black within 1 day – all ages at same time |
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Scales (larvae) |
Bees remove dead
larvae within 24 hours |
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Dead larvae or pupae
found on the ground outside the hive after a cold snap usually indicates
chilled brood. Note ants and birds
quickly remove the evidence. |
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Infectivity |
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None |
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Transmission |
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None |
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Post-mortem
Lesions |
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All ages of larvae
are affected and blackened |
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Diagnosis |
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Note all ages of
larvae are affected |
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Treatment |
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Avoid chilling of the hive |
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Common differentials |
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Zoonosis |
None |
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