Looking for Nosema

[Moggs]

I'm after a little guidance here. I have a colony that is quite slow to build (although better laying pattern today). Having found a few threads on nosema, I thought I'd try my hand at microscopy, using the cheap and cheerful BioLux NV that I bought at Lidl. The problem that I'm having is determination if a) there are nosema spores in the following images b) whether the concentration may be a problem.

I may be barking up the wrong tree completely here, as the magnification of the photo's is from a usb camera attachment (I'm not certain of the magnification that this gives). However, there are some bee bits in there for comparison - at this scale, are these likely to be nosema spores?

If they are, this is approximately the concentration that I'm seeing across a larger sample.

I know that I should send some bees to BCrazy for a definitive diagnosis but there's no harm in experimenting!

Advice appreciated.

 

[Cazza]

Hi Moggs
Those little rice grains certainly looks like Nosema but not in a large concentration. the one in the bottom slide in the middle most resembles it.
Second opinion anyone?
Cazza

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi Moggs,
the definition is not very clear but i have studied the photos and it appears to me that the ' rice grains' we can see are divided in the middle by a line of some description. try again to see if you can obtain the maximum magnification and better clarity. Also the small group of orange circles could be pollen of some type.
Keep on trying as it will become clear what you need to do to obtain a better photo. Welcome to the world of microscopy its fascinating. Try staining the objects this also might help.
Mo

 

[Bcrazy]

Here's the sort of image you are looking for.

 

[Ruary]

Hi Moggs,
try again to see if you can obtain the maximum magnification and better clarity.

The trouble with the cheap Lidl microscopes is that the maximum magnification is got by digital zooming and this does not increase the definition.
Ruary

 

[Moggs]

Thanks Mo - very useful. Even with these results, I'm fairly confident that nosema isn't a significant problem. Bees are now making up for lost time. Isn't it fascinating!

Lidl - cheap enough (and slightly more effective than my failing eyesight)!

 

[psafloyd]

The trouble with the cheap Lidl microscopes is that the maximum magnification is got by digital zooming and this does not increase the definition.
Ruary

NO, interpolates it, just adding noise.