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What Now? Guard Bee
Joined: 26 Mar 2012 Posts: 59 Location: Coventry, UK
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 8:54 pm Post subject: Chalk Brood .... |
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Our friendly and very helpful bee inspector came around and inspected.
One of the hives has chalk brood. All I was told is that I should consider 're-queening' in the spring
What do natural bee keepers do?
Thanks. |
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Barbara Site Admin
Joined: 27 Jul 2011 Posts: 1857 Location: England/Co.Durham/Ebchester
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Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 9:19 pm Post subject: |
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I have chalk brood in pretty well all my colonies and always have.... the oldest colony with it is 17 years.... ie my original colony.... if it hasn't killed them off in that time then I don't think it's worth worrying about. There are times when it is hardly noticeable and other times when it's worse but it's very unlikely to be terminal. I see it as being similar to eczema or hayfever in the sense that you/they learn to manage it. It's a fungal disease and as with most fungi, it thrives in damp conditions |
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David43 House Bee
Joined: 01 Nov 2015 Posts: 14 Location: USA
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Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2015 10:27 pm Post subject: Re: Chalk Brood .... |
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The strong colony will be healed without any treatment. |
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ingo50 Scout Bee
Joined: 30 May 2014 Posts: 311 Location: Newport, Gwent, Wales, UK
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2015 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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What type of hive do you have? |
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andy pearce Silver Bee
Joined: 30 Aug 2009 Posts: 663 Location: UK, East Sussex, Brighton
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Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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Don't worry about it...all my bees have it, some more than others.
A |
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AugustC Silver Bee

Joined: 08 Jul 2013 Posts: 613 Location: Malton, North Yorkshire
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Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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I realise this may be controversial and is entirely unsubstantiated but I think chalkbrood is more an issue of hive environment rather than queen. I have only ever seen it when colonies haven't had sufficient bee numbers to support the frames/comb they have.
I suppose a queen with a high lay rate would sort this out but then so does allowing the colony to find it's own size. |
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biobee Site Admin

Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Posts: 1063 Location: UK, England, S. Devon
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Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 9:46 am Post subject: |
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Replacing the queen is the usual treatment, on the grounds that there is a genetic trait behind a susceptibility to chalk brood. I have no idea if this is indeed the case, although it would seem to be a reasonable hypothesis, given that the 'treatment' appears to work.
CB is not regarded as a serious problem, but given the choice, I would not want to breed from a queen with this tendency unless she had several strong, redeeming traits. |
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alexg House Bee
Joined: 25 Oct 2015 Posts: 14 Location: USA
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 8:28 pm Post subject: Re: Chalk Brood .... |
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Strong colonies will be cured without requining. |
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