European Foulbrood Question for Dr. Meghan Milbrath - Ask Extension
Hello Dr. Milbrath,
This past year, 2025, I had three hives, two were double deep and one was a single deep.
One of the double deep hives showed m...
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European Foulbrood Question for Dr. Meghan Milbrath #925293
Asked March 02, 2026, 1:31 PM EST
Hello Dr. Milbrath,
This past year, 2025, I had three hives, two were double deep and one was a single deep.
One of the double deep hives showed minimal signs of EFB in late summer/fall of 2024 but wasn’t tested and confirmed positive until spring of 2025.
All three hives were positioned within 20’ of each other. There aren’t any other known hives within 7 – 10 miles (as the crown flies) of my home.
I was unable to gain control of the bacteria “Melissococcus plutonius” in the double deep and by summer of 2025 the single deep had also contracted EFB. At the time, I was of the belief that my answer was Terramycin, but the Terramycin proved very difficult to get. I ended up never getting it.
I was worried the EFB would spread to my last hive, which was very healthy, so I made the decision to destroy the two hives that had EFB. Both hives that had EFB were fully and completely removed from the property and destroyed.
By the end of August, with the supers now off my last remaining hive, and the population somewhat smaller than earlier in the summer, I went to do a mite check and while going through the hive, I saw that this hive had also contracted EFB.
This hive was also fully removed from my yard and destroyed. By September, ALL hive components had been completely removed from my property.
After watching your Webinars, I understand that, as of a few months ago, other than a bleach solution there wasn’t a known way of eliminating the bacteria “Melissococcus plutonius”.
Knowing this, would you recommend that I no longer have honeybees here at my home? Even knowing that all the old equipment has been fully removed and destroyed. I would be starting with brand new equipment to include all new hive boxes, all new hive frames, all new bee suits, all new smokers, etc....
Do you feel it would be safe for me to start over?
Thank you so very much for all you have done and your time in responding to my question.
Bob
<personal data hidden>
Hunt County Texas
Expert Response
European foulbrood is definitely a tough disease, and I'm sorry to hear about your experience. The good and bad news is that you aren't alone, as EFB is pretty prevalent/common. First, you are correct that we do not have a known way to completely eradicate EFB from an operation, many people who have EFB just work on controlling it / managing it, and don't aim for eradication.
Secondly, it isn't surprising that your colonies showed signs of disease at different times - EFB is known to have a lot of inapparent infection - where the bacteria is present, even in colonies with no signs of disease. We don't fully know what makes the disease appear. So it may be spreading in your operation, or it may be that it just appeared in different hives at different times.
Thirdly, I don't think that you should give up on beekeeping at that location necessarily. M. plutonius may have come in on your bees originally, or with a swarm etc, and you may be able to start again with no problems.
Finally, I'm sorry that you weren't able to find a veterinarian who would work with you. I think that you are in Texas? If so, I would reach out to Julia Rangel or Garett Slater who are apiculture extension at TAMU - I know both have worked on training veterinarians.
Secondly, it isn't surprising that your colonies showed signs of disease at different times - EFB is known to have a lot of inapparent infection - where the bacteria is present, even in colonies with no signs of disease. We don't fully know what makes the disease appear. So it may be spreading in your operation, or it may be that it just appeared in different hives at different times.
Thirdly, I don't think that you should give up on beekeeping at that location necessarily. M. plutonius may have come in on your bees originally, or with a swarm etc, and you may be able to start again with no problems.
Finally, I'm sorry that you weren't able to find a veterinarian who would work with you. I think that you are in Texas? If so, I would reach out to Julia Rangel or Garett Slater who are apiculture extension at TAMU - I know both have worked on training veterinarians.
Hello Dr. Milbrath,
Thank you for getting back to me.
Interestingly, I’ve had bees in this yard for four years and never experienced any signs of M. plutonius. Then in 2024, I did get a nuc from a new location and six months later that hive is the hive that started the EFB that spread to both my other hives. I suspect you are correct, it most likely came in these bees then spread.
Is it known if or is it likely that M. plutonius can survive in my yard itself? (lawn, clay, dirt, trees, garden, etc.)
Thank you,
Bob
This is very useful extra information, and it is likely that the bacteria came in with the nuc. The nuc seller, however, may have done nothing wrong, and may not have had visible signs of disease in their hives, as EFB has a lot of inapparent infection (you can have the bacteria present with no sign of disease). I would restart with packages, and then once you have a few colonies established, make sure you are only increasing from your own operation, and are not buying bees from other operations again (or if you do, put them in a quarantine yard).
