Nosema treatment

[Repwoc]

I think my bees have Nosema. All colonies are weak, one dwindling. Yesterday I noticed some yellow spots/streaks on the fronts of two nucs. I haven't seen any sign of the bees relieving themselves in the hives.

I've done some research, but there doesn't seem to be any (legal) treatment, other than:

"... beekeepers should try to maintain their colonies in good health by applying good husbandry practices such as maintaining strong, well fed and disease tolerant colonies, headed by young and prolific queens. Bee keepers should also consider re-queening susceptible colonies with queens from more tolerant stocks of bees which are better able to cope with Nosema infection." (Beebase).​

That's fine as preventative / control measures, but what do we do to treat colonies that are infected? Does tea tree oil work? (Fat bee man)

 

[pargyle]

Can you test for Nosema or have someone who can ? Easy test with a microscope. Usually colonies with Nosema would have signs of faeces on the frames and the front of the hive is quite decorated with them as well.

If it is Nosema there is good evidence that misting the frames with Hivemakers Thymol formula three times, once every five days, has some beneficial effect on affected colonies.

Find Hivemakers formula here ...

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=49691&postcount=44

If they have got Nosema they probably won't take the formula from a feeder so spraying it gently as a mist over the bees and frames (so they clean themselves off) will have a more immeidate effect.

 

[Millet]

I think my bees have Nosema. All colonies are weak, one dwindling. Yesterday I noticed some yellow spots/streaks on the fronts of two nucs. I haven't seen any sign of the bees relieving themselves in the hives.

I've done some research, but there doesn't seem to be any (legal) treatment, other than:

"... beekeepers should try to maintain their colonies in good health by applying good husbandry practices such as maintaining strong, well fed and disease tolerant colonies, headed by young and prolific queens. Bee keepers should also consider re-queening susceptible colonies with queens from more tolerant stocks of bees which are better able to cope with Nosema infection." (Beebase).​

That's fine as preventative / control measures, but what do we do to treat colonies that are infected? Does tea tree oil work? (Fat bee man)

A forum member who does not visit at the moment cleared a colony with Nosema by spraying the bees with warm Thymol syrup..

 

[Repwoc]

Can you test for Nosema or have someone who can ? Easy test with a microscope. Usually colonies with Nosema would have signs of faeces on the frames and the front of the hive is quite decorated with them as well.

If it is Nosema there is good evidence that misting the frames with Hivemakers Thymol formula three times, once every five days, has some beneficial effect on affected colonies.

Find Hivemakers formula here ...

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=49691&postcount=44

If they have got Nosema they probably won't take the formula from a feeder so spraying it gently as a mist over the bees and frames (so they clean themselves off) will have a more immeidate effect.

Thanks. I'll give HM's spray a go. Thymol's on order.

 

[Repwoc]

A forum member who does not visit at the moment cleared a colony with Nosema by spraying the bees with warm Thymol syrup..

Thanks Millet. I'm going to give HM's recipe a go.