May Disease
Krankheiten
May disease, also called pollen constipation or protein constipation, is a non-contagious digestive disorder of young bees.
May disease, also called pollen constipation or protein constipation, is a non-contagious digestive disorder of young bees. Nurse bees are affected. To prepare brood food from pollen and stores, they need a lot of water. If it is lacking, the pollen mass hardens in the digestive tract and blocks it.
This is typically triggered when a lot of brood needs to be provisioned while cold, wet weather at the same time prevents water carriers from flying, classically around the Ice Saints in mid-May. The Bavarian State Institute describes the consequence: gut bacteria accumulate for lack of defecation, toxic breakdown products form, the gut and muscles become paralyzed, the bees become unable to fly and die. In Switzerland, the bacterium Spiroplasma apis is additionally named as a possible trigger.
The picture is unmistakable: young bees crawl together in front of the hive, tremble and hop, their abdomen distended and firm. Pressing on it produces a thick, sausage-shaped yellow to brown discharge. Important for distinguishing it from dysentery: fecal spots inside the hive are absent.
The remedy is simple and works quickly: give fluid. Diluted sugar water is recommended, sprayed onto the bee-covered combs or offered in a feeder. Not honey water, which invites robbing. If a honey super is on, only plain water is given. As prevention, a water source belongs within reach of the apiary, but outside the flight path.
Bettlach May disease should be distinguished from this. It looks similar but is caused by pollen from buttercup family plants and their compound anemonin. Here, only moving away helps.