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- hyacinth1
A European bee (Apis mellifera) foraging on hyacinth (Hyacinthaceae). Beijing, China. March 2002. - foulbrood
Spotty brood usually means the queen is old or there is brood disease. Sunken brood capping with holes suggest most likely American Foulbrood, which can be a serious disease if left to develop. In most states, the bacteria causing this disease (Paenibacillus larvae) has become resistant to oxytetracycline (Terramycin). New medications (lincomycin and tylosin) are being applied for bee use. Photo by Zachary Huang. - varroa1
No, this is NOT a staged picture! Last October some colonies were dying and being robbed. On close inspection they were having very severe cases of PMS (parasitic mite syndrome). Very few brood cells were left and when I opened these cells, some had more than 20 mites per cell! This one had like 12 mites just near the top. Most of the time the larvae were already dead inside cells (this one looks alive). MSU apiary. Oct 14, 2002. - varroa2
Another larva with 5 varroa mites on one side, I am sure a few ran away... You can tell that the larva was dead by its abnormal coloration. MSU apiary. Oct 14, 2002. - beeclose
A typical 'Italian' bee (Apis mellifera ligustica) busy making honey. - DSCN8835
Roadside honey sale, and a few jars of pollen. This is in a apiary next to the rubber tree forest. Beekeepers live in a tent (3-4 of them) and complained of bordom because they have no where to go at night, no electricity, no TV, no villages closeby. This place is about 20 miles from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, where I stayed for a month last year. Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China. March 28, 2002. - pupalmite_s
Varroa mites (Varroa destructor) on a drone pupa that was removed from its cell. - florea_nest_mature
A mature florea nest, about 1 ft across. Honey is stored in a rather cylinderic column near the top. Worker brood is solid in the center, separated by a few rows of pollen cells from the much larger drone cells on the outer rim. Notice there are two queen cells hanging down. - cerana_eggs
Eggs of Apis cerana. - dorsata_whole_nest
A giant honey bee nest on the eaves of a library (about 30 ft from ground). the nest is about 6 ft across. Someone has knocked a hole with a rock the day before, trying to steal some honey. Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China. April 2002. - mitedamage
A varroa mite (Varroa destructor) on the back of a worker bee. The bee on the bottom has her wings unexpanded -- a sign of varroa damage during her pupal stage. - florea_dorsata
Trick photo! This is a newly emerged dorsata worker on a florea nest. The dorsata was dipped in honey before introduced so workers were licking her, making her looking like a queen! The next day the worker was still in the nest, seemly being accepted by their much smaller cousins. - dorsata_pachira
A giant honey bee foraging on a megafruit pachira (Pachira macrocapa, Bombacaceae). Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China. April 2002. - blackbee
A black bee (perhaps Apis mellifera carnica) busy making honey. - dorsata_dillenia_turbinata
Two giant honey bees foraging on a flower of dillenia (Dillenia turbinata, Dilleniaceae). Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China. April 2002.