Melissococcus plutonius

Photo by Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera), Crown Copyright

A brood disease caused by a bacterium that is ingested by honey bee larvae causing death by starvation
Symptoms include spotted brood pattern intermingled with healthy brood, sunken and greasy cappings and a foul smell
Infected larvae die before their cells are capped in a twisted position and become yellow-brown
Incidence is usually greater when the colony is under stress due to cool weather or poor nutrition
Present throughout Australia (except WA, NT and Kangaroo Island)