Can You See If I Have Nosema?

[malawi2854]

Hello all,

I've managed to take a few low quality images using a webcam through the lens of my microscope - would you mind taking a look, and seeing if you think they have nosema?

I don't think they do... but don't really know what I'm looking at!!!


Colony A:

Colony B:

Pay no attention to where the little marker is pointing... I have no idea what I'm supposed to do with that!!!

Thanks awfully!

 

[Heather]

Personally I think it looks clear. 'Grains of rice' not seen. They are quite distinctive- but other more experienced may differ.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hello all,

I've managed to take a few low quality images using a webcam through the lens of my microscope - would you mind taking a look, and seeing if you think they have nosema?

I don't think they do... but don't really know what I'm looking at!!!


Colony A:

Colony B:

Pay no attention to where the little marker is pointing... I have no idea what I'm supposed to do with that!!!

Thanks awfully!

As the Bishop said to the choirboy!

Seriously - I can't see any nosema spores there
Good images by the way - better than I can see with a microscope through my eyes!
By the way i was shown a very good example of nosema during an association meeting last week when we tested all our bees

 

[Poly Hive]

I agree, no "rice grains" that I can see.

PH

 

[huntsman666]

I see a hen in the bottom one.

Seriously though, pull out the ventriculus of a few field bees and place on white paper, take pics and post them here.

 

[Ruary]

I agree, no "rice grains" that I can see.

PH

The pointer is used as an indicator, if you want to show someone a particular feature you move the slide so that the pointer indicates that feature and then you know that the other person is looking at the part of the slide you want him to look at.

It would help if we had some idea of magnification.

However colony A at about halfpast two from the end of the pointer. And maybe at about eight o'clock as well.
I could not see anything in the other colonies. Bear in mind that using a normal microscope which gives a field of about 0.45mm at X400 no spores should be counted over five fields of view before a sample could be declared as 'nosema not detected'. I have no idea what area you have in your photos and so do not know how large a field of view you have. For the aldi microscopes to examine an equivalent area would involve 25 field of its view.

 

[Gardenbees]

Doesn't look like a classic nosema slide to me. Perhaps you could have a look at some pics on the internet to compare with yours? If you do a Google search for Nosema you'll find quite a few slide pictures (bear in mind they may not all be accurate, given the usual internet caveats!).

PS - the "grains of rice" are more pudding-type rice than longgrain, if that's any help...

 

[malawi2854]

Magnification is x400 - as for the other questions, I haven't a clue I'm afraid!

I'll ask the people I borrowed the microscope from, see if they know.


Thanks for your assistance all - much appreciated!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I find the spores look very much like cod liver oil capsules floating in water but less yellow

 

[alanf]

Doesn't look like a classic nosema slide to me.

PS - the "grains of rice" are more pudding-type rice than longgrain, if that's any help...

You don't give any details of the prep. What we can see is some debris and a lot of air bubbles, is this from vigorous mashing of whole bees? There also appears to be quite a depth of field which suggests a lot of water on the slide and perhaps a lot of water in the mash. Only a guess, but more time in prep can save time under the lens.

What helped me learn was having several samples which had high levels of nosema from a wider range of hives than my own. The important bit is knowing that you have a technique that can show both high and low infection. What might help is to offer to test with other beeks, especially colonies that are struggling. Learn together. A sample or two with high infection levels and you know you have a method that works, without seeing a range you are never sure.