Honey Bee Parasites
Parasitic Mite Syndrome (PMS)
For the past several years we have been seeing diseased bee larvae with symptoms resembling a cross between foulbrood and sacbrood. The USDA Beltsville Bee Lab has found these diseased larvae to be infected with one, or commonly several, viruses. This new disease seems to be limited to colonies infested with Varroa mites. Additionally, beekeepers have experienced bees disappearing completely from previously healthy colonies in the early fall. This situation is most likely associated with Varroa mites, viruses or a combination of both. This complex of symptoms has been given the name "Parasitic Mite Syndrome" or PMS.