This is another of my deep dive posts. Looking for more insight and help in identifying what I see on some of my slides.
Background: Subarctic climate, no cleansing from October to late March sometime April.
Every year I seem to have 1 colony exhibiting high levels of individual bee mortality (high attrition). When I examine the guts of these dead bees, Nosema is alway present. In 2019 I started observing (but ignoring) the occasional globules (cysts) floating around in the fecal matter. I typically just squish bee guts onto a slide for inspection (like Randy Oliver does). Last year, someone mentioned the possibility of a co-infection with Nosema and amoeba disease as a possible reason for the high mortality rate. In this year's sampling (all colonies) one colony was again showing high attrition. The specimens from this colony had large amounts of these cysts floating in the fecal matter. I decided to start dissecting out the guts to have a closer look. I also found a couple of references on Amoeba but nothing very "useful" in identification.
I am just begin to deep dive into the subject. I researcher at the UoFL lab has just received some samples from my colony that she will test and dissect herself. She is planning on sequencing the Amoeba and testing for the Nosema type.
My dissection and clear infection of the malpighian tubules is pretty clear. This symptom of high mortality accounts for my only winter losses (1 in 10 per year) 10% loss.
My guess is they got it from some of my older honey frames that I added later in the season. I will be having a good look at all the frames from this colony and culling anything with dark honey, feces or old wax.... Some of the frames may actually be from 2018 where I had 3 hives in one winter go through this. I cleansed the equipment as best as I could, but it likely still had some residuals. I seem to have one colony per season do this, so one could assume that there might be a equipment connection. (notes not good enough to trace back to confirm). They make it through, but eventually fails in spring, they can't overcome spring attrition. So I am thinking the equipment may be my vector as it typically gets re-used later in the season...
[Other photographs and background information:]
Dead Bees Dissection resuts
drive.google.com
Short video on my dissection:
Live Bee dissection results:
drive.google.com
[Reference Link:]
en.wikipedia.org
https://teca.apps.fao.org/teca/en/technologies/10019 #Honey bee Disease, Nosema , Bee Health, Amoeba disease
Background: Subarctic climate, no cleansing from October to late March sometime April.
Every year I seem to have 1 colony exhibiting high levels of individual bee mortality (high attrition). When I examine the guts of these dead bees, Nosema is alway present. In 2019 I started observing (but ignoring) the occasional globules (cysts) floating around in the fecal matter. I typically just squish bee guts onto a slide for inspection (like Randy Oliver does). Last year, someone mentioned the possibility of a co-infection with Nosema and amoeba disease as a possible reason for the high mortality rate. In this year's sampling (all colonies) one colony was again showing high attrition. The specimens from this colony had large amounts of these cysts floating in the fecal matter. I decided to start dissecting out the guts to have a closer look. I also found a couple of references on Amoeba but nothing very "useful" in identification.
I am just begin to deep dive into the subject. I researcher at the UoFL lab has just received some samples from my colony that she will test and dissect herself. She is planning on sequencing the Amoeba and testing for the Nosema type.
My dissection and clear infection of the malpighian tubules is pretty clear. This symptom of high mortality accounts for my only winter losses (1 in 10 per year) 10% loss.
My guess is they got it from some of my older honey frames that I added later in the season. I will be having a good look at all the frames from this colony and culling anything with dark honey, feces or old wax.... Some of the frames may actually be from 2018 where I had 3 hives in one winter go through this. I cleansed the equipment as best as I could, but it likely still had some residuals. I seem to have one colony per season do this, so one could assume that there might be a equipment connection. (notes not good enough to trace back to confirm). They make it through, but eventually fails in spring, they can't overcome spring attrition. So I am thinking the equipment may be my vector as it typically gets re-used later in the season...
[Other photographs and background information:]
Dead Bees Dissection resuts
Nosema Ameoba Identification.pdf
drive.google.com
Short video on my dissection:
Live Bee dissection results:
Amoeba in live bees.pdf
drive.google.com
[Reference Link:]
Malpighamoeba mellificae - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
