Chalk brood is a highly infectious disease of honeybee brood. Since first being identified here in 1993, it has spread rapidly throughout Australia. Losses to honey production have proved significant. Chalk brood cannot be effectively treated by the chemotherapeutic or comb sterilisation techniques often employed to treat other brood diseases. The uncapping and removal of dead and diseased brood (hygienic behaviour) is a heritable behavioural trait of some honeybee strains. Hygienic behaviour is the primary mechanism of resistance to chalk brood and other brood diseases, such as American foulbrood. Hygienic colonies also have some resistance to infestation by the parasitic mite Varroa jacobsoni
Notes
At foot of title: Honeybee Research and Development
"May 2002"
Bibliography
Bibliographical references: pages 26-29
Notes
Also available in PDF format for viewing and downline loading at the RIRDC website at: https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/02-048
Mode of access: Internet via the World Wide Web
Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation 2002