P. larvae Project Pilot

P. larvae on MYPGP agar seems to be growing fine. Will be a few more days yet before I can attempt to isolate spores. Retrieved another plate with fungal contaminants on the growing honey bee larva (see below). Attempted to isolate and streak out white fungal species onto Nutrient agar. Incubated plate at 35C (same temperature that it was discovered at).

Fungal contaminant on 5th instar honey bees. White fluffy fungal mold completely engulfed a larva.

Checked plates of contaminants from yesterday (see below). Appears that near-pure fungal colonies are growing. I will continue to incubate at 35C. 

Streak plates of the fungal contaminants that were killing the honey bee larva from 6-21-14. 

Absolutely no growth on any of the BAD (Bee Artificial Diet) plates from 6-20-14 at any of the 25C, 35C, 37C temperatures. I will continue to monitor for growth, however, I am fairy confident that the diet that is being fed to the honey bees is free of contaminants, at least the contaminants that would be detected in the parameters I've been looking at.

//EWW