The Keeper
The perforated wax covering on these cells is likely a sign of foulbrood.
© University of Manitoba
Foulbrood
American and European foulbrood are bacterial diseases that can infect a hive and destroy colonies. The bacteria are very contagious and attack larvae and pupae. Larvae infected with the bacteria change from white to brown in colour, and die before (European) or after (American) the cells are capped. When this happens, the capping usually becomes sunken, alerting the beekeeper to the problem.
To help their colonies stay free of foulbrood, beekeepers can treat them with an antibiotic. Colonies can recover from European foulbrood, however, in cases of American foulbrood, hives and equipment usually need to be burned and destroyed, since the spores can survive for as long as seventy years.
