Frame Guide › Disease
Chalkbrood: what it looks like on the frame
Cool, wet spring. You spot chalky white bits on the landing board.
Hard white and gray 'mummies' — larvae killed and mummified by a fungus that takes hold in damp, chilled, or stressed brood nests. The gaps are where nurse bees already hauled mummies out.
Improve ventilation and requeen from hygienic stock
Chalkbrood is usually a genetics-and-dampness problem, not a death sentence. Boost the colony, cut the moisture, and requeen with hygienic (VSH-type) stock that cleans it up on its own.
Easy to mistake for
- American Foulbrood Warning SignsSpotty brood, sunken greasy cappings with pinholes, and an odd smell.
- Laying WorkerA colony that's been loud and 'roary' for weeks. No calm hum.
- Healthy Brood PatternJune · a strong colony, bees calm and covering the comb.
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 disease → Mixed round (all 32 frames) →More disease
- American Foulbrood Warning SignsSpotty brood, sunken greasy cappings with pinholes, and an odd smell.
- European FoulbroodMay · built up fast, then stalled. A faint sour smell.
- SacbroodSpring · a handful of odd larvae scattered in otherwise decent brood.
- Chilled BroodYou went through this hive on a windy 48°F day and took your time.
- DysenteryLate February · brown streaks on the top bars and down the comb.
- Foulbrood ScaleA colony that dwindled and died last fall. You tilt a frame toward the light.
These frames are drawn to teach the pattern, and real frames vary. If you suspect foulbrood or a pesticide kill, contact your state apiarist. In Pennsylvania that's the PA Department of Agriculture apiary program. Samples to the USDA Beltsville Bee Lab are free. From The Alleman Apiary in Middletown, PA.