nosema apis or ceranea

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Nige.Coll

Drone Bee
Beekeeping Sponsor
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Location
East Midlands
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National
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some + a few more
20150429_142314.jpg

Sorry about the poor quality of the pic.
When looking closely at the samples I have there are two different shaped nosema spores. One is slightly more pointed and a little thinner than the other. Which one is apis and which is ceranea or can't you tell from a microscope. Difference shows better at around 1k x.
 
Apis is slightly rounder than ceranae, you need a few more on the slide to give a defo answer
 
From Bob Maurers book, practical microscopy for beekeepers, " some experts say it is impossible to tell the difference with a light microscope - others claim they can"
Apis is said to be long oval shape like a grain of rice, and Ceranae is smaller and less regular.
 
From Bob Maurers book, practical microscopy for beekeepers, " some experts say it is impossible to tell the difference with a light microscope - others claim they can"
Apis is said to be long oval shape like a grain of rice, and Ceranae is smaller and less regular.

It also depends on the angle you are viewing. Imagine looking at a grain of rice "end on" and you have a "round"!
 
Judging shapes is difficult with a microscope, since you are looking at a slice through the view and the items are going to be in random orientations.
Hence, a sample of things like long-grain rice will appear to have shorter, even circular things in the view.

Short of using "focus stacking" software, the best you can do is to tweak the focus (microscopically!) "up and down" an individual grain so that you can synthesise (or integrate) a "feel" for the shape of what you are looking at.
It is frankly hard to do.

But why?
Treatment isn't going to be different whatever variety it is.
If there's bee poo around the hive, call it apis. If not, call it ceranae ... Any need to limit your diagnosis to microscopy observation only?
Seems a good enough approach for me! :)
 
Thanks.
Why ? No other reason than I would like to know really.
I have the symptoms drilled into my brain now .
Looks like the next book will be on microscopy.
Just trying to teach myself how to use it.
The pic is crap had to hold the tablet against the eye piece.
 
Looks like the next book will be on microscopy.
Just trying to teach myself how to use it.
.

the best way is to have the closed 'spine' end to the left, lift the front cover and inside will be loads of bits of paper with writing on - read from the top to the bottom and when you've finished turn the paper to the left and there will be more writing on the other side, keep on going until you get to the end :D
 
Do they do a picture book on it jbm ?
 
the best way is to have the closed 'spine' end to the left, lift the front cover and inside will be loads of bits of paper with writing on - read from the top to the bottom and when you've finished turn the paper to the left and there will be more writing on the other side, keep on going until you get to the end :D
Unless it is in arabic when you have to reverse the instructions
 
I nearly lost some bees to nosema, I dont like losing bees.
Managed to sort the rest out on my own just thought asking what the difference was here would be easier lol.

Thanks anyway question answered.
 

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