A heads up: there are reports of American Foulbrood in Vermont. Multiple cases in Orwell and one in Windham County. This is a serious honey bee disease. Educate yourselves on the symptoms and contact the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets Pollinator Health Specialist (Brooke Decker), at 802-272-6688 if you have any questions or see signs of AFB. Symptoms include the following:
- Spotty brood pattern with discolored, sunken, or perforated capping. Larvae is caramel to dark brown in color with a foul smelling odor. When suspect cells are sampled with a toothpick or match stick, the larvae form a ropy string >2cm when pulled from the cell.
- Eventually, dead larvae from AFB will dry and form scale, found on the lower cell walls.