Addressing High Nosema Counts

[sqkcrk]

Talked w/ a friend whose perspective and experience I really hold in high regard. He says my counts aren't really all that high and that we really don't know what they mean, how they effect our colonies. 10 million he feels is high. But not 2 million or an average of 3 million average across the samples. He suggested Mann Lake Pollen Sub w/ fumidill.

[David LaFerney]

In this part of the country, if we gave ours a 5lb pollen sub patty, in two weeks we wouldn't need a second one. We'd be so overrun with small hive beetle larvae.....

No matter where you are - that needed saying because everyone that reads this thread might not know that pollen sub can aggravate a hive beetle problem.

[beemandan]

that needed saying

I agree David....but if your business was selling pollen sub you might not feel the same.

[David LaFerney]

No no no. That's not what I meant at all. No one would profit from the misuse of their product causing a bad experience. I'm sure that Keith (and all the others) want their customers to experience all kinds of joy from the use of their sub, so that we will all become evangelists, and repeat customers.

I used another sub last winter, and was very impressed with the results, and I'll be using one kind or another (the best one I can get and afford) from now on I expect.

My point was that a new bee keeper reading this thread and not being aware of SHB might just hear "feeding pollen sub will cure nosema, and make all my dreams come true!"

[Keith Jarrett]

Me thinks sometimes that since were talking on the "commercial" thread that it would already be understood, maybe sometimes I forget that.

But, there is one outfit in the Houston TX area that said my sub did the best he's seen with shb.

ps..... he runs over 20,000 hives.

[David LaFerney]

Then what you should do is ship orders for 40 pounds or so, and charge enough to make you happy to do it - so us little guys can get on the band wagon.

[beemandan]

since were talking on the "commercial" thread that it would already be understood, maybe sometimes I forget that.

Me thinks that, although the topics are intended to be 'commercial' in their nature, the audience is broader.

[wildbranch2007]

He suggested Mann Lake Pollen Sub w/ fumidill.

does he add the fumidill himself? I can't find any pollen patties that are in there cataloge that say they have fumidill in them. How much fumidill does he add and how? I've got some yard that get so heavy in the fall have never been able to feed fumidill and am looking for a way that works to get them to take it. thanks

[sqkcrk]

I don't know details like how much fumidill b is in the mix, but the pattys come w/ the fumidill already in them. He orders enuf to make it worth while for Mann Lake to custom make the pattys. You could too.

[jean-marc]

I agree with the very good point that Keith makes about pollen in the gut not being the same as stored pollen. In the gut forces the bees to brood up. I suppose it kinda like food in the belly is not quite the same as food in the fridge. It's nice to have in the fridge but much nicer in the belly.

From my experience Mark counts of 2,500 000 would alarm me. I'm not sure that feeding patties alone would reduce your counts to 500 000 /bee. That's economic threshold in colder areas. I would feed fumigillin. Did I read right that you are not moving your bees south. Bees can take higher counts in areas with a milder winter.

Those counts would explain a low honey production,especially if the neighbours got substantially more honey. At those kind of counts the bees life can be shortened by 2 weeks, just a the time when they should be earning you a few $. Now if you through some high mite counts you can get a synergistic effect that really lowers production. Alone those problems the bees can sort of cope with but combined this can be a real killer of hives over winter in colder climates and for sure will impact your production. If they were my hives I would try to get the situation in order as soon as possible.

On the bright side nothing that some time , effort and cash can't fix.

Jean-Marc

Jean-Marc

[David LaFerney]

So, is there an effective way to feed pollen sub when/where SHB is a problem - other than spoon feeding it in small enough quantities for them to quickly clean up that is?

I imagine most of us would rather deal with nosema by supplying nutrition rather than medication if it's possible.

[benstung]

mix fumigillin with your syrup, they are hungry right now so they will eat it up and digest it. when feeding it doesnt hurt to drench them so they eat
some instantly.