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Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Messages
238
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0
Location
Gateshead / Durham
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
7
I've just treated our 4 hives with OA as the temperature has finally climbed above zero... all looking good but one is worrying me. When opened (as smoothly and quickly as possible) there was a fair bit of reaction from the bees to the intrusion. What concerns me is a distinct and not good smell and lots of light brown faecal discharge from them. I was expecting a bit of cleansing going on but this was excessive, with my suit looking like I'd been involved in the dambusters raid. Looking through the books it might be that I need to treat for nosema but not until I can feed in the autumn (though Manley says to destroy the colony...) any advice welcome!
 
Best to actually check them for nosema,all four colonys...they do tend to poo a lot after being confined for quite a while,i got rather covered in it today.
Is there poo inside the hive on frames ect?How strong is the colony?
There is not much you can do at the moment regards treating for nosema,but if they do have it, you can treat in the spring as soon as its warm enough...two years ago i treated some in feb as we had a very mild spring,and they responded well to treatment. If your one colony does happen to have a heavy nosema infection, i found that the application of oxalic acid can kill the colony off shortly after.
 
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thanks - I think they need testing anyway, though the others were fine. This hive was definately not right - poo on the frames, bees, me and everything inbetween. As I've just treated with OA, I'll just have to wait and see if they're still around and salvageable come spring. How did you treat yours, Hivemaker?
 
I've just treated our 4 hives with OA as the temperature has finally climbed above zero... all looking good but one is worrying me. When opened (as smoothly and quickly as possible) there was a fair bit of reaction from the bees to the intrusion.

Of course, the colder and more settled the bees are the better to do your OA treatment.
 
Hi Hivemaker,

Do you remember the problems I had with it, now I think every thing is ok no visual signs of it all..

I should test again in the spring.


Regards


Busy Bee
 
Busy Bee,

Do you remember

Please, remind us all and a lot may gain some knowledge from your experience. Is there a link to a previous thread or was this a public PM for Hivemaker?

Regards, RAB
 
No no I think there was a thread. I need to check but anyway early spring I had severe Nosema to late to treat but treated anyhow with a thymol feed they had nosema not as bad all year but during the year I relpaced all brood comb until autumn which I began to feed about 2 gallon of thymol syrup, which I do with all my hives, a bit lees for nucs. I lways feed thymol feed to nucs regardless of time of year (probably not recommeded but I do).

I shall be general, I have been lead to believe colonies feed with thymol syrup and not fondant as a winter feed tend not to have nosema in spring. I found this to be in my case as it was pointed out to me be a very helpful and experienced bee keeper.

Regards

Busy Bee
 
Nosema seems to transfer quite easily between colonies in an apiary, even if you as the beekeeper are careful about hygiene. The bees poo in puddles and then others drink from them. I would test them all for nosema.

I think that there is evidence that thymolised syrup in protective against nosema. What I would be interested to know is whether it is helpful if nosema has already taken hold in the colony?

I have treated for nosema by misting bees with Fumidil B syrup in the Spring... it did work. But I think I would have preferrred thymol, which seems milder.
 
Mmmm, F.B is banned here we can't use it.

But I think foraging and older bees whom have nosema is not the target for thymol syrup young bees from start of treament is the target. I do believe as the year progresses nosema gets less and less but is still present and this is where the replacement of comb tends to help minimise the risk.


Busy Bee
 
Have been reading a small book by Ron Brown,called great masters of beekeeping, in which there is a section on Manley.
Interesting to see his comments on the use of thymol in syrup all those years ago,compared to the modern research which has been done regards feeding thymol for both nosema and varroa control.


Manley gives details of how he usedv thymol in autumn fed syrup to prevent fermentation;bee's suffered no ill-effects from it,even with very late feeding and with syrup unsealed in cells.
In a separate section on nosema,he says that by coincidence,i have had no experiance of nosema these past twelve years,since i started to feed thymol routinely in autumn.He then says....i wonder if there is a connection?


I also like this part about him......He castigated orthodox british methods,which he said,always found some excuse for doing something to the bee's,and the poor little creatures were tormented from march until winter brought rest.

Seems these days they don't even get much peace in winter either...
 
Do you know how thymol works against nosema HM?
 
Thanks...I think there may be clues. Interesting. Can't say I understand it though. Thymol also acts against hook worm too I see. The bit I don't really get is that nosema is not a fungus, bacterium worm or insect. Does thymol act against all these things in the same way?? What is your theory?
 
The bit I don't really get is that nosema is not a fungus

Really,are you sure of this,have you checked?
 
Could some one enlighten us as I have a book which states clearly that Nosema is a "microsporidian parasite" (Parasites of the Honey Bee, Dr Mary Coffey).

Now I feel Hivemaker is right it has been reclassified as a fungus.. Please correct me if I am wrong and if so SORRY.


Busy Bee
 
AAaahhh. So nosema is back to being a fungus again is it. :coolgleamA:
 

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