Bald Brood

[Forester Doug]

Just did an inspection and it seems around 5 or so cells have been uncapped prematurely, and the white underdeveloped bee is exposed. From research this is likely caused by wax moth larvae, although I didn't see any present.

There seems to have been loads of healthy brood hatch out is this an acceptable level of bald brood in a colony, having not encountered it before is this a fairly typical amount?

Also and possibly worrying they were all on the same frame, but not spatially right next to one another, could this mean my queen is laying bald brood? If so 5 cells isn't terrible, but is this number likely to increase?

 

[Swarm]

Just did an inspection and it seems around 5 or so cells have been uncapped prematurely, and the white underdeveloped bee is exposed. From research this is likely caused by wax moth larvae, although I didn't see any present.

There seems to have been loads of healthy brood hatch out is this an acceptable level of bald brood in a colony, having not encountered it before is this a fairly typical amount?

Also and possibly worrying they were all on the same frame, but not spatially right next to one another, could this mean my queen is laying bald brood? If so 5 cells isn't terrible, but is this number likely to increase?

Nothing to panic over. It can sometimes be a genetic thing, not always down to wax moth but I wouldn't worry over a few cells. If you start seeing lots more, maybe consider requeening.

 

[For want of a better word]

Nothing to panic over. It can sometimes be a genetic thing, not always down to wax moth but I wouldn't worry over a few cells. If you start seeing lots more, maybe consider requeening.

The precursor of sack brood/ Chinese slipper ( a viral infection) can look like bald brood.
A couple of seasons ago I had persistent bald brood in just one colony.. tried shook swarm and even culling the queen.... eventually colony died out over winter.
Sometimes you just have to let them go!

Chons da