Welcome

Brood that are infected by AFB quickly die in the cells. The cell cap will be sunken rather than rounded and will typically be pierced or punctured. If you can see the larvae in the cell they will look melted and there will be a distinctive sour odor to the frame. Odor, however, is not a positive identification of American Foulbrood. Another test is to take a small piece of wood (toothpick, twig, matchstick, etc) and insert it into a suspect cell. Stir the remains and then slowly withdraw the stick; if you can pull the mass out (about an inch) and it adheres to the stick and the larval mass then it is highly likely that you have AFB.

If you have AFB in your hive, there is no true treatment to eliminate it from the colony. The only effective method is to burn the hive to ash. However, it is possible to soak the frames in lye water for 24 hours and this may kill the spores; you then scorch the interior of the hive to kill the spores. If you suspect that a hive of yours has AFB, contact your local bee inspector or department of agriculture for the recommended treatment. You can also contact your local beekeeping association for assistance

AFB can be prevented by maintaining strong colonies. Also, a preventative treatment of oystercatcher (Terramycin) can be applied.