Honeycomb and brood
Examining the honeycomb and the brood can indicate when a queen is missing or is not laying enough eggs.
The diseases of honeybees fall into two categories: diseases of brood and those that affect adult bees. The typical sign of illnesses involving diarrhea, such as nosema disease, is a honeycomb that is smeared with excrement. European or American foul brood are counted among the main brood diseases and are indicated by a sunken cell caps.
Diseases of the brood due to fungi, such as the so-called chalkbrood (Ascosphaera apis) or stonebrood (Aspergillus flavus), can be detected by the graygreen mummies.