Bee health management

Note: Most of the content was retrieved from the books "Beekeeping Manual for beginners" by Holeta Bee Research Center and the APIRE project . and from "Advanced Beekeeping Manual by Ethiopian Beekeepers Association and Netherlands Development Organization (SNV-Ethiopia).

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Two main groups of diseases were described: the ones affecting the bee brood and the ones that affect the adult bees. If a beekeeper inspects a colony and observes a disease, the disease transfer from the sick to the healthy bee colony must bee avoided

To avoid disease transfer between colonies:

• do not use the same equipment used for the sick colony
• do not transfer frames from a sick to a healthy colony
• avoid feeding honey or pollen from a sick colony to a healthy colony

Further reasons of transfer:

• purchasing used equipment or colonies
• splitting colonies that carry diseases
• amalgamate sick with healthy colonies.

Chalkbrood A. apis is transmitted to the bee colony by food and water, or through contaminated equipment or infected queens or worker bees. Cold or humid conditions also increases the risk of getting infected with A. apis. If a colony which is affected by chalkbrood does not have enough food, disease control is difficult. If a colony is already infected, cleaning the hive can help to control the disease. Further, the equipment should be disinfected (e.g. with fire) prior to and after manipulating the affected colony. Do not use frames of that colony for other colonies. Strengthen the colony by supplemental food and change the position of the hive into an area with more sunlight. Requeening the colony is also an option. Heavily affected frames should be removed and exchanged by frames with wax foundation.