this microscope?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Virdens sorry not able to completely agree with you regarding Nosema.

I do agree that local associations should run training days so as to show how to collect samples and test for Nosema but it should not be left for the regional bee inspectors they have far more important jobs to do.

.

Saying that - our local SBI is coming to our next BKA meeting and has offerred to test evryone's bees for Nosema if we want to. So he thinks it's important enough anyway

 

[viridens]

Lucky me. It seems that my hives have been more healthy than most with regards to Nosema.

My concern is that many keepers, especially new ones who are understandably nervous and maybe a little over-protective, will feel that they are not caring for their bees properly unless they buy a microscope.
I'm sure that some of you will have been worried by the results of cleansing flights or pollen streaks at the hive entrance.

The presence of Nosema is usually suspected from the more obvious hive and bee symptoms and the microscope is only used to confirm this diagnosis (see bottom of this post), and a degree of skill is required to do this properly. Your microscope, like mine, will spend 99.999% of the year gathering dust if this is all you intend to use it for.

It seems to me that now organic Nosema treatments like Nosevit and good old Thymol are available, it makes more sense to just treat the hive as a precautionary measure if obvious symptoms are seen and/or Nosema is suspected, or maybe just give precautionary treatment on a regular basis as the manufacturers would recommend...
In other words, a similar approach to that taken with Varroa.



"Nosema diagnosis can be carried out using a microscope with X 400 magnification. Collect about 30 bees and mash the abdomens in a pestle and mortar with a few drops of water. Deliver a single drop of the resulting soup onto a microscope slide and put on a cover. Under the microscope look for little pale rice shaped grains that are Nosema spores. There is little difference to be seen between N. apis and N. ceranae spores...."

 

[Tom Bick]

Saying that - our local SBI is coming to our next BKA meeting and has offerred to test evryone's bees for Nosema if we want to. So he thinks it's important enough anyway

Yes and that’s great but this is a prearranged meeting something he is doing outside their working time me thinks.

It will also be a great chance for people to realise that its really not so difficult to do and relatively simple once the technique is mastered something that will not be lost by the bee inspector and just may reduce his work load next year.

This weekend at my association we are having a workshop on testing for Nosema they do this every year and its one of the things they get right regards education, I am looking forward to it as I need to get to grips with it myself.

What I was trying to put across was that if they are called out to individual apiaries to test individual hives for Nosema that will be a waste of their time in my opinion and its something a more experienced beekeeper should try and do for themselves.

It may be interesting to ask him of all the calls to apiaries this year from worried beekeepers fearing the worst what percentage were hives struggling with Nosema?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

This weekend at my association we are having a workshop on testing for Nosema they do this every year and its one of the things they get right regards education, I am looking forward to it as I need to get to grips with it myself.

Thats a really good idea, must see if we have the expertise/willingness to do it

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Zub Zub,
I have a binocular 'scope I bought recently (does x 1000 too with oil) if you grind up your bees you can bring them over and we can have a look-see.

 

[MandF]

I think it is a responsible and sensible to test or have your bees tested for nosema at this time of year. Our association runs a clinic twice a year, always testing for nosema, usually for acarine also.

We had our clinic last sunday and I was the one inspecting the slides (we are all encouraged to help out). We tested 33 samples, and I think something like 16 had a mild or heavy nosema infection. The results were skewed somewhat due to 6 samples coming from a sister apiary (off site) which had 5 testing positive, but even without that we had over 30% testing positive.

Inspecting the slides is also interesting as you can see the various pollen grains in the gut too, and I the reason I read this thread is because I was toying with the idea to buy a microscope, not only to test for nosema myself, but to analyse my various honey batches to identify exactly what pollen each has.

But anyhow, my suggestion is for people to test their bees for nosema, either themselves or via their association, and then treat if needed. Rather than just treat anyway.

I understand commercial or semi-commercial beeks may not have the luxury of time to do this, this is aimed at other hobby beeks like myself!

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I am running a microscope day next saturday up here for the local beekeepers. Nosema analysis is quick and east to do and we have people doing it in minutes. We will also cover several other bee related issues using microscopes also. Luckily beekeeprs needs on microscopes are modest however microscopy has a habit of growing much like another hobby I know.

I am happy to advise on microscopes if people need help buying. We have sourced probable almost 30 in recent years here for this area alone (a small one). I even have an SEM going into a local school atm

PS 100x objective are normally oil immersion objectives and both condenser and objective needs to be coupled to the sample via an oil layer. It is messy and a pain in the preverbial however it is not needed for most (read practically all) bee related items for everyday amateur beekeepers. 40x is more than enough dry (400x with 10x eyepieces).

 

[zubzub]

I am new this year and thought I would be doing right by getting a microscope to test my own bees. As and when the need arrived,
I am going to feed Hivemakers thymolated syrup after apiguard has
finished, and have got some oxalic acid for using in my homemade vaporiser
in Dec / Jan.
Is this a skill I should wait to learn after a couple of years, or just get right in there now?

ZZ

 

[Hivemaker.]

Is this a skill I should wait to learn after a couple of years, or just get right in there now?

If your interested,then get right on and do it,he who hesitates is lost.

 

[zubzub]

Thanks HM will be on it asap.

ZZ

 

[zubzub]

Hi I have been made this offer what do you think?

(x20 is an'OMO', better than a 'Swift')which would probably be on Ebay within the next 2 weeks.As this is not yet listed I would be happy to sell it to you on a cash on collection basis for £46.00 (or if you wanted a springhead x40 'OMO' instead of a fixed head at £51.00)The accessories would be as the current listing.

Listing:
This unit comes with 3 oculars: x7, x10, x15 and 4 objectives: x4 (Carlton), x8 (Omo), x20 (poss Swift) and x40 (Omo)--giving a magnification range of x28 -- x600.It has a good substage multi lense iris diaphragm condenser.Swing out filter holder with day blue and translucent glass filters + 2 stage clips and an assembly tool.The double sided mirror is very good with no signs of foxing.

ZZ