BCBC would like to thank
Dr. Zachary Huang, Associate Professor of Entomology, Michigan State University for allowing us to republish his honeybee photos and photo descriptions here. Please visit his site at Beetography.com
Special thanks also to
Dr. David Tarpy, Assistant Professor of Entomology at NCSU for allowing us to republish information on bee pests and treatments. You can visit his site here. |
Cause(s):
A viral pathogen of bee larvae
Symptoms:
--- Dead larvae appear watery and granular with a thick skin that forms a sac.
--- The head of an infected larva is lifted toward the top of the cell, resembling the shape of a canoe.
Treatment:
--- There are no chemotherapies for sacbrood. Requeening may be beneficial, and maintaining a strong colony often the best cure for the disease.
 Sacbrood is caused by a bee virus (Morator aetotulas). Larvae die right before or shortly after the cells are capped. Here is a dead larva right before the cell is fully capped. Photo by Prof. M.V. Smith, University of Guelph
 A closeup of the head of sacbrood virus killed larva. Photo by Prof. M.V. Smith, University of Guelph.
 The heads of larvae killed by sacbrood virus, with the cell capping removed. Photo by Prof. M.V. Smith, University of Guelph.
 The sabrood killed larva (actually a prepupa) removed from the cell. Photo by Prof. M.V. Smith, University of Guelph.
 Side view of dead larva killed by sacbrood virus. Notice the discoloration and hardening of cutiles near the head. Photo by Prof. M.V. Smith, University of Guelph. |
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