Fecal Spotting

So I noticed the other day that one of my hives seems to have a lot of fecal spotting on the front and landing board. So this would be a strong indication of Nosema? But it might not be Nosema? How can I definitively determine the cause? What options are there for this this time of the year? It's too cold to feed syrup.

I have the exact same situation going on. Unless someone on here has a better solution, I am going to mix propper ratio Fum-B and water then add sugar until I have a thick paste like substance. My bees are still clustered at bottom so I am going to put the candy in the hive through bottom entrance and raise it up to touching the bottom of the cluster.

I considered using the drench method as described in scientificbeekeeping but it is just too cold. I won't go into fall without medicating again.

if you have access to a microscope, you can scrape some off the hive and look at it, scientificbeekeeping has pictures on the web site as to what it should look like.

Dysentery (the bee poopage on your hive) can be caused by Nosema.
It can also be caused by other things, as simple as too many solids in their feed, or being coopped up w/o opportunity to take cleansing flights for a while.

I know form living in Wetsern Oregon that often in the winter there are an awful lot of rainy days in a row, which can prevent the bees from geting out to poop.
I don't treat my hives, but if I did, before treating for Nosema, I'd make sure I had it.

Antibiotics don't just kill nosema, they kill beneficial microorganisms that help the bees digest as well...so it is a good idea to make sue they're sick first.

Bees typically do their business while flying and would be seen as spots nearby on the ground usually within 50 feet or so. A little fecal matter on the front of a hive would be of no concern however if it is a solid mass around the entrance or particularly in the hive I would be concerned about the general health of the hive Nosema in particular.

Jim, my bees tend to target my white pick up regardless of where I park!

I think there are pics of hives that have a lot of fecal matter on them, look at the pics before thinking you have lots.

It's too late (or too early:) ) to medicate or help bees in OR
You have to do what the rest of us do, just worry and hope for an early spring
Any attempt to medicate will just disrupt the cluster needlessly and be counterproductive
Good Luck, Mike

nosema ceranae [the most prevalent type] does not generally manifest itself as dysentery. Nosema apis does have dysentery as a symptom. However, I recently checked some heavy spotting on the front of one of my hives and it had no nosema.