# european foulbrood !!



## copper287 (May 31, 2009)

I had a hive to die out was a little weird looking in side the hive.Brood was runny and capped brood was dead.So i sent a sample off to the bee reseach laboratory.The test came back as european foulbrood.My ? is do i need to burn the woodwear or clean it good.I could not find a good answer on anything i was reading,but it was not like american foulbrood,European does not have spores.Thanks for any help!!!copper287


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

Personally I would burn the frames and scorch the the boxes. Frames run about a buck apiece. 18 bucks is cheaper then buying a new nuc or package.


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## Beee Farmer (Aug 11, 2008)

DItto,
Shake your bees out. Burn the frames and scorch the boxes really good.


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## copper287 (May 31, 2009)

Ok.I don't have to worry about the bees.They died out over the summer.I can say if anyone wants to have a hive tested bee research laboratorys is the place.Had a letter back from them in less than 7 days.copper287


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## beekuk (Dec 31, 2008)

Keep a close eye on any other colonys you have,if they robbed out this one then they are likely to also get EFB.


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## copper287 (May 31, 2009)

That was the thing this hive never would grow even by feeding them and no honey was put up all spring and summer.The shb did not even like that hive.So i know they was not robbed,just more worried about me spreading it a round and a drifter from that hive going to another one.copper287


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## beekuk (Dec 31, 2008)

Usually robbing,or the beekeeper are the two things that spread it worst,best to carry a bucket with some water and bleach in,just wash your hive tool and gloves between evey hive,just the first few inspections in spring,until you know all is clear.Had quite a lot of experiance of efb in the past.


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

copper287 said:


> The test came back as european foulbrood.My ? is do i need to burn the woodwear or clean it good.


You don't have to burn an EFB hive. EFB isn't a spore former as AFB is. The old method of treatment, before antibiotics, was to dequeen. Once broodless, the colony was requeened. Since EFB doesn't form spores, once the disease was cleaned up, and there was no more infected brood in the hive, the colony could be requeened, and would be healthy if not re-infected.

I've always wanted to try this method, but I so rarely see EFB that I don't pay it much attention.


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

Terramycin will treat EFB but tylan won't. A experienced beek and inspector told me he never had problems with reusing EFB equipment. When it is caught before the colony dies, requeening will usually help, but terramycin will clear it up also.


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## suttonbeeman (Aug 22, 2003)

If you burn the equipment you are just throwing away good money! THe above post is correct! You burn it if it is AMERICAN FOULBROOD, not efb. Big differance!


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## copper287 (May 31, 2009)

Oh.oK Thanks alot.Some of the frams was new and never been drawd out.I will still clean every thing up good and put in new foundation.Thank ya alot!!!copper


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## suttonbeeman (Aug 22, 2003)

No need to replace comb/foundation.....just put in bees next spring!


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## danno (Dec 17, 2007)

Is there any odor to your EFB hive?


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## copper287 (May 31, 2009)

yes there was a smell.


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## danno (Dec 17, 2007)

copper287 said:


> yes there was a smell.



I should know this but never having delt with it what does it smell like


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## copper287 (May 31, 2009)

It was a sour,rotten smell.Nothing like anything i have smelled before.And the dead brood was a runny,greasy looking white color,and really shiney.


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## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

Do NOT burn EFB equipment!


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## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2005)

*european foulbrood webpage*

I recently wrote up an article on European foulbrood with lots of closeup pictures. Check it out here,

http://www.extension.org/pages/European_Foulbrood:_A_Bacterial_Disease_Affecting_Honey_Bee_Brood

The 'inspiration' for the above web-page came from an outbreak at our university apiaries. Nasty stuff, but hopefully you can learn something from our experience and more easily recognize it. Also, be sure to see the information from Bart Smith at the Beltsville USDA lab which is linked from the page above.


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