Pests and Diseases

  What causes a beehive to swarm? Like almost all fauna and flora, honeybees have an urge to reproduce. If beekeepers don’t notice the signs and r...

The tracheal mite (Acarapis woodi) is a parasite that lives and reproduces in the trachea of European honey bees. This microscopic internal mite cl...

Varroa destructor is extremely destructive and a major factor in Colony Collapse Disorder. Although they originally adapted to exploit Asian honey ...

The Small Hive Beetle (SHB) is a pest insect affecting European honey bee colonies all over the world. They are usually about 5mm long and are dark...

Sacbrood virus (SBV), or Morator aetatulas, is an infectious virus affecting honeybee larvae in many areas of the world. Larvae die off before full...

Nosema is the highly destructive effect caused by one of two (or both) fungi named Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae. While Nosema apis is generally a...

Large hive beetle is often seen as a bit of a mystery in the beekeeping community. While the pests have caused some damage to apiaries, few researc...

European foulbrood, (EFB) is a problem for beekeepers throughout the world, with the United Kingdom in particular struggling to contain it (EFB is ...

Chalkbrood (Ascosphaera apis) is a mycosis (fungal disease) which infiltrates and spreads throughout a colony’s brood. Chalky-white in its early pr...

The Cape honey bee (Apis melifera capensis) is a subspecies of Western honey bee, and one of the most common causes of social parasitism in Europea...

The Braula fly (Braula coeca) is a wingless fly primarily affecting honey bee colonies. Often mistakenly referred to as a braula louse, the insect ...

Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV) is a devastating disease primarily affecting queen pupae and larvae. Caused by Cripavirus, the disease causes death i...