A Study Of Chalk Brood Disease Of Honey Bees

Chalk brood of honeybees (Apis mellifera) is caused by the fungus Ascosphaera apis. It was first diagnosed in Australia in 1993 and is now endemic in most areas of Australia. Although chalk brood is not usually fatal to honeybee colonies it can cause substantial production losses The aim of this study was firstly to review the literature on chalk brood so as to distil into one document the various control measures that have been used to reduce the economic losses caused by this disease. Secondly, the aim was to identify areas that could be investigated so as to expedite the development of control strategies to minimise the economic losses caused by chalk brood.

Since the publication of the first edition of this book in 1982, investigation into the pathology of honey bees has progressed considerably. Furthermore, several different agents of disease, some newly discovered, have been causing increasing concern in recent years in many parts of the world. The book contains separate chapters on viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, mites, nematode and insect parasites, non-infectious diseases, and the treatment of diseases. The contents are a thorough revision of the previous edition and incorporate much new information, especially with respect to viruses, bacteria, fungi, and mites. Specific organisms, such as the mite Varroa jacobsoni and the secondary diseases resulting from its presence, are considered in detail. Knowledge of the subject is central to well-managed beekeeping, an industry that, besides producing honey and wax for man, is increasingly valuable ecologically for pollinating wild as well as cultivated plants. Apart from its value for beekeeping and apicultural research, this book will also be of interest to ecologists, microbiologists, virologists, parasitologists, and general entomologists. Serves as a thorough revision of the first edition Focuses particular attention to new materials on viral diseases of bees, particularly the Varroa virus

Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2018 im Fachbereich Biologie - Krankheiten, Gesundheit, Ernährung, , Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: The study was conducted in East Wollega Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, from December, 2016 up to August, 2017 to determine the prevalent and incidence rate of honeybee disease and pests. Questionnaire survey and laboratory diagnostic methods were used for the study. The questionnaire was administered to 146 beekeepers (97,1% males)and two honeybee colony samples from each beekeeper totally (292 honeybee colonies) were collected from transitional and frame box hives for laboratory diagnosis. The honeybee samples collected were examined in laboratory for the prevalent and incidence rate of honeybee disease pathogens and pests. Majority of the respondents started beekeeping after 2010 (28.03%) by catching colonies as honey bee colony source (54.8%). The major dearth period of the area was late march to early may. The trend of beekeeping in the study area was shifting from traditional to modern beekeeping and the trend of honeybee colony and its yield was decreasing due to honeybee health problem of the area (pests, predators, pathogenic disease, high cost of bee equipment and agro-chemical application). In the study area the major pests and predators considered as challenges were ants, beetles, wax moth, varroa destructor and some predators like honey badgers, bee eater birds, dead head hawks moth, lizards, wasps and birds respectively. Varroa, Nosema, Amoeba and chalk brood disease were confirmed while tracheal mite, stone brood, Ameriacan and Europian foul brood did not confirmed during the study period. The prevalentand incidence of varroa destructor was higher in dry season than wet season while the prevalent/incidence rate of nosema and chalk brood disease was limited during dry season. Amoeba disease was distributed in both seasons.For the reason of time restraint in this study area, farther study on economic threshold of honeybee disease and pests is suggested by monitoring throughout the year.

Chalk brood is a highly infectious disease of honeybee brood. Since first being identified here in 1993, it has spread rapidly throughout Australia. Losses to honey production have proved significant. Chalk brood cannot be effectively treated by the chemotherapeutic or comb sterilisation techniques often employed to treat other brood diseases. The uncapping and removal of dead and diseased brood (hygienic behaviour) is a heritable behavioural trait of some honeybee strains. Hygienic behaviour is the primary mechanism of resistance to chalk brood and other brood diseases, such as American foulbrood. Hygienic colonies also have some resistance to infestation by the parasitic mite Varroa jacobsoni.

Honey Bee Pests and Diseases provides up-to-date information on the management of honey bee diseases found globally, not just in the U.S., Europe, or Australia. Of particular interest are the explanations of how pathogens affect honey bees. This facet of diseases is usually left out of honey bee disease books. Written in an easy to understand way, and richly illustrated with photographs and diagrams, chapters cover integrated pest management (IPM), epidemiology, viruses, brood diseases, mites, parasites, as well as other problems a colony might face. The book is largely based on the Ph.D. research of Dr. Robert Owen, who studied the effect of bee diseases in Australia and overseas with particular reference to Varroa. Both Prof. Jean-Pierre Scheerlinck and Prof. Mark Stevenson have extensive and well-recognized experience in honey bee research.