Do you recognise this health picture? Explain what you see.
- European foulbrood, a bacterial brood disease.
- Healthy colony.
- Banded brood associated with wax moth.
- American foulbrood, a bacterial brood disease.
- Chalkbrood, a fungal brood disease.
- Deformed Wing Virus: DWV, a viral disease.
- Nosemosis affecting mainly adult bees.
Show answer
Correct answer: 2.
Healthy colony with regular brood.
Why?
Recognising a healthy colony is as important as recognising a diseased one. A colony in good condition generally shows regular brood, larvae of normal appearance, active bees, and a coherent occupancy of the combs.
In the expected image, the central element is the absence of suspicious signs: no flaccid or brownish larvae, no dark, sunken, or perforated cappings, no chalkbrood mummies, and no bees with deformed wings.
A healthy colony may nevertheless show a few normal irregularities depending on the season, colony strength, the nectar flow, the age of the queen, or the dynamics of the brood.
What to understand
Health diagnosis begins with knowing what is normal. This makes it possible to better distinguish an acceptable variation from a truly worrying sign.
Healthy brood is not necessarily perfectly compact. A few empty cells or differences in brood age may be normal if the colony as a whole is coherent and dynamic.
In case of doubt with a brood disease, one must remain cautious: limit handling, avoid moving suspect equipment, and seek competent advice, in particular from the apiary inspector.
Key takeaways
A healthy colony is recognised by a set of favourable signs: overall regular brood, white and well-fed larvae, active bees, stores present, and calm behaviour.
The absence of visible symptoms does not replace a complete observation, but it constitutes an essential reference point for learning to recognise diseases.
In case of uncertainty, it is better to ask for advice than to conclude too quickly that there is a disease or, conversely, to play down a suspicious sign.
Further reading
► Practical Guide: 4.7.3 Recognising healthy colonies
► Practical Guide poster: How to recognise diseases