poorly colony -Nosema?

[wondervet]

This was a fairly strong healthy colony (I thought) late March. Nothing heroic but 3 frames BIAS and plenty of bees.

Thymol in autumn, oxalic at xmas. Almost no mite drop recently and can't see any mites on dead bees.

Since bad weather started we didn't inspect for 2 weeks until 14th when found the floor 2cm deep with dead bees (workers and drones) and dead larvae. Q+, few larvae, no other brood. Quite a few bees with heads buried in empty cells. No stores centrally but still patches of capped stores at sides of winter super.

Assumed they had clustered and become isolated from remaining stores so bunged on fondant and thought had rescued them.

yesterday, another floor-full of dead and crawling bees including lots of drones. The weather had been good enough that there was a bit of fresh nectar in a couple of frames. Many very sluggish bees (and some dead ones also scattered about on frames) throughout the colony. Lots tucking into fondant but some dysentery in the fondant pot (none on outside of hive).

No deformed wings. no visible varroa on bees. Would have thought the chances of any toxins v small -no arable crops within miles.

Going to do some Nosema preps tomorrow.

Q1: Can Nosema cause this kind of spectacular die off?

Q2: If so, is there good evidence to support the use of any medication or do they have a reasonable chance of pulling themselves together as weather (perhaps) improves.

Q3: possible weather/population dynamics? as described by ITLD a few weeks back -winter bees overworked in good weather in March. But then can't see why drones dead too.

Q4: anything else I haven't thought of?

Thanks for any advice

WV

 

[theengraver]

My money is on starvation, the bees have been struggling to get out and have a poo
also when there under stress they get the squits

 

[iand]

Crawling bees indicate some still just alive & very hungry, sprinkle or spray them with syrup to revive them. If you are not to late to save them. Then give them a small feed of syrup.

 

[wondervet]

Thanks. Is syrup better than fondant in this situation?

 

[iand]

Yep its ready to use, no need to go fetch water.

 

[Finman]

.

How many frames the bees cover out of how many?

Perhaps part of colony has destroyed in bad weathers and the rest of bees cannot keep brood warm.

- Too much space to heat. Take super off if you have.
- too much ventilation ( 4cm x 1 cm entrance is enough)
- close mesh floor
- insulations on top. No upper feeding if it let the heat escape?

 

[Teemore]

Finman's comments are spot on - I had one colony so affected and it has been turned around by transf3erring it into a poly nuc and giving it a frame of emerging brood with covering bees. The warm spell at the end of March followed by frosts and generally crappy weather seems to have affected a number of colonies locally.
You mention there are lots of drones in the problem colony: had you considered that this might be symptomatic of a queen that is beginning to fail?

 

[plunderer]

I agree with all the athers,,give a feed of syrup and if a spare sheet of sealed brood can be found and added this should pick the colony up..

 

[Arfermo]

I agree with all the athers,,give a feed of syrup and if a spare sheet of sealed brood can be found and added this should pick the colony up..

Plus a spray with warm sugar syrup?

 

[Finman]

Plus a spray with warm sugar syrup?

that makes only harm to bees. Why to do that?

 

[BBG]

that makes only harm to bees. Why to do that?

What harm does this do Finman please.

 

[bignikki]

Have you tested for nosema yet?
It does sound like it to me.
Often if you try to feed syrup they can not take it down. Also squits is a sure sign of infection.
I have a strong colony that I've been trying to feed with syrup for 2 weeks now but they refuse to take it. I tested for nosema today and the sample was teeming with spores.

 

[Birnambeekeeper]

Have you tested for nosema yet?
It does sound like it to me.
Often if you try to feed syrup they can not take it down. Also squits is a sure sign of infection.
I have a strong colony that I've been trying to feed with syrup for 2 weeks now but they refuse to take it. I tested for nosema today and the sample was teeming with spores.

So what did you do ? I think I have the same but kinda stuck what to do with the colony (I haven't tested - not got that far yet)

 

[bignikki]

I don't really know! It is the association apiary. I've just taken over management of it last week!
The old manager came today and I told him they wouldn't take down the syrup "Fumidil?" he said. So I took a sample and have just come away from the microscope just now and I thought of this thread I was reading last night.
So I'll have to discuss it with him.
The sample was absolutely teeming with spores!

 

[Hivemaker.]

Bees are often reluctant to take syrup containing fumidil... and with a heavy nosema infection they won't take it at all,nor can they feed brood properly.


Spray the bees on the comb with 2g of fumidil to 1 litre of thin syrup,this will need to be done 3 or 4 times about five or six days apart. Also give them a frame of emerging brood from another healthy colony if you can, especially if they are short on brood. They should take syrup with fumidil in fine after treating this way.

 

[bignikki]

As far as I know it's not possible to buy fumidil anymore. What other treatments are there? And has anyone any experience using them?