Bee health
Diseases and health issues
Reference catalog of diseases, parasitoses, and viral conditions relevant to bee health.
Informational content. It does not replace laboratory diagnosis, technical advice, veterinary guidance, or instructions from the competent authorities.
Acarapiosis
Infestation by Acarapis woodi
Tracheal parasitosis of adult bees caused by the microscopic mite Acarapis woodi, transmitted mainly by direct contact.
Acute bee paralysis
Acute bee paralysis virus infection
Rapid-progressing viral disease, often associated with Varroa destructor, that can cause trembling, paralysis, and mortality in adult bees.
American foulbrood
Infection by Paenibacillus larvae
Severe bacterial brood disease caused by highly resistant spores of Paenibacillus larvae. It can persist for long periods in contaminated equipment.
Braula
Infestation or commensalism by Braula coeca
A small wingless fly that lives on adult bees, especially on the queen, and feeds near the host's mouthparts. It is usually regarded as a commensal or a parasite of low economic importance. The larvae may tunnel superficially through honey cappings and reduce the commercial quality of comb honey.
Chalkbrood
Ascosphaerosis by Ascosphaera apis
Fungal brood disease that turns dead larvae into white or dark mummies resembling small chalk fragments.
Chronic bee paralysis
Chronic bee paralysis virus infection
Viral disease of adult bees that may cause trembling, inability to fly, black shiny bees, and an accumulation of crawling bees near the hive.
Deformed wing virus
Deformed wing virus
Viral disease often associated with Varroa destructor infestation. It can cause deformed wings, reduced abdomen size, shorter lifespan, and colony weakening.
European foulbrood
Infection by Melissococcus plutonius
Bacterial brood disease that mainly affects young larvae before capping and may cause an irregular brood pattern.
Nosemosis by Nosema apis
Infection by Nosema apis
Intestinal infection of adult bees by a microsporidian, traditionally associated with dysentery, reduced longevity, and poorer colony performance.
Nosemosis by Nosema ceranae
Infection by Vairimorpha ceranae
Intestinal infection of adult bees, originally described in Apis cerana and later identified in Apis mellifera. It may occur without obvious dysentery.
Sacbrood
Sacbrood virus infection
Viral brood disease in which dead larvae form a sac filled with liquid and do not complete pupation.
Stonebrood
Brood aspergillosis
Uncommon fungal disease that can affect brood and, occasionally, adult bees, producing hard mummies. Some Aspergillus species may also pose a risk to immunocompromised people.
Tropilaelaps
Infestation by Tropilaelaps spp.
Brood parasitosis caused by mites of the genus Tropilaelaps. These mites reproduce in capped brood cells, feed on larval and pupal tissues, and can cause irregular brood, deformities, reduced bee longevity, and colony collapse. They represent a serious exotic threat to European beekeeping.
Varroosis
Infestation by Varroa destructor
Parasitic disease of the honey bee caused by the mite Varroa destructor. It weakens adult bees and brood and favors the transmission and expression of viruses, making it one of the main health issues in beekeeping.