Frame Guide › Pests & poisoning
Bald Brood: what it looks like on the frame
June · a good colony, but these lines of open cells caught your eye.
Healthy, white pupae with purple eyes, left uncapped in wandering lines. The pupae aren't sick — the bees pulled the cappings off along the path of a moth larva tunnelling underneath. Varroa uncapping is scattered single cells with dead or damaged pupae; foulbrood leaves sunken, holed cappings and dead brood.
Nothing major — keep the colony strong
The brood usually emerges fine and a strong colony keeps the moths in check. It's worth watching, and if it's widespread across many frames a requeen with more hygienic stock helps — but it's not a disease and not an emergency.
Easy to mistake for
- American Foulbrood Warning SignsSpotty brood, sunken greasy cappings with pinholes, and an odd smell.
- Chilled BroodYou went through this hive on a windy 48°F day and took your time.
- Varroa Mites & Deformed Wing VirusAugust · your alcohol wash came back at 9 mites per 100 bees.
Could you spot this with the lid off?
Read the Frame deals you 8 random frames. Say what you see, say what you'd do, and find out why. It's free and runs on your phone.
Drill pests & poisoning → Mixed round (all 32 frames) →More pests & poisoning
- Varroa Mites & Deformed Wing VirusAugust · your alcohol wash came back at 9 mites per 100 bees.
- Wax Moth DamageThe outside frames of a colony that's been dwindling for a month.
- Small Hive Beetle Slime-OutHot, humid August. The box smells fermented, like rotting oranges.
- RobbingLate August dearth. Bees wrestling on the landing board.
- Pesticide PoisoningA field next door was sprayed in bloom yesterday. Piles of dead bees out front today.
- Healthy Colony, Low Mite CountLate June · an alcohol wash of 300 bees turned up 2 mites.
These frames are drawn to teach the pattern, and real frames vary. From The Alleman Apiary in Middletown, PA.