Hairless Black Syndrome (Schwarzsucht)
Krankheiten
In hairless black syndrome, also called forest-flow disease in German usage, the bees lose their hair.
In hairless black syndrome, also called forest-flow disease in German usage, the bees lose their hair. The pale bands on the abdomen disappear, and the bees look shiny black. The hair loss starts on the abdomen and spreads to the thorax and head.
The cause is not infectious but a deficiency. With a lack of pollen and amino acids, the cuticle lacks nitrogen-containing building blocks, becomes brittle, and the hairs are lost at the slightest touch. Because this occurs frequently during the forest honeydew flow from spruce and fir, when a lot of honeydew and little pollen is brought in, it has its second name, forest-flow disease. Bacteria and sooty mold fungi on the honeydew are also discussed as factors.
The same appearance can also be caused by chronic bee paralysis virus, in which case splayed wings and the pushing away of affected bees by their nestmates are added. Mechanical hair loss from robbing looks similar as well. It is therefore not possible to tell them apart by appearance alone.
Hairless black syndrome is usually temporary. What helps is moving the colonies to a site with a varied supply of nectar and pollen instead of honeydew-producing conifers. The consequences of honeydew and melezitose honey in the winter stores, which lead to non-infectious dysentery, are a separate matter.