Lemon juice and Fumagillin
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I stopped useing fumagillin a long time ago,( my) opion is that fumagillin kills to many good things in the bee gut. I have been adding lemon juice to my 1 to 1 to lower the P.H of the sugar an it's been working out o.k. Fumagillin is an antibiotic. I think you will fine quit a few members who have stopped useing it for that reason alone.
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try vanilla extract. the cheap imitation kind will work.
>One of my winter-over hives (went into the winder weakfish) has nosema but isn't taking the Fumagillin/syrup.
How do you know they have Nosema? Did you examine the gut contents under a microscope?
How do you know they have Nosema? Did you examine the gut contents under a microscope?
I've never used fumagillin, but I do have an understanding of how stable a substance will be under a variety of conditions. It looks like fumagillin would be pretty sensitive (would be partially broken down) at low pH values, like you'd get when adding lemon juice. But, without experience I cannot say for sure.
As MB said, the way to confirm nosema would be to do a spore count.
As MB said, the way to confirm nosema would be to do a spore count.
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5,688 Posts
If they wont take the sugar water, mix the fumidil in a 12 oz honey bear with sugar water, on a warm day spread it on the top of the frames and some of the bees, do this 3 times about 5 days apart, if they have nosema they will then start to take the sugar water. the amount to use is on the label. if the weather is too cool you can try just putting some on the top of the frames, they will clean it up.
How do you know they have Nosema? Did you examine the gut contents under a microscope?[/QUOTE]
I sent 30 bees, in alcohol, to the Maine State Apiarist who examined them and confirmed nosema. He recommended treating with either thymol or fumagillin.
I sent 30 bees, in alcohol, to the Maine State Apiarist who examined them and confirmed nosema. He recommended treating with either thymol or fumagillin.
Many thanks, I won't add the lemon juice. Someone suggested adding a little Honey B Healthy, I might try that. Thanks, again.
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And if someone recommended something else?
A few years ago some friends I work bee w/ used HBH and I did not and we all had similar results. But they sprayed HBH every time they went into their hives and I did not. Hives were worked in similar fashions. Lemon juice, HBH, and other products are not magic potions. Have a reason for doing something using products that actually do something to improve things in your hives.
A few years ago some friends I work bee w/ used HBH and I did not and we all had similar results. But they sprayed HBH every time they went into their hives and I did not. Hives were worked in similar fashions. Lemon juice, HBH, and other products are not magic potions. Have a reason for doing something using products that actually do something to improve things in your hives.
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since tony was aware of the following Main beek using it, he could very well recommend it.
http://community.lsoft.com/scripts/...1=BEE-L&9=A&J=on&d=No+Match;Match;Matches&z=4
How do I measure that small of an amount? Dissolve 3 gm of Thymol in one
cup of ethyl alcohol (Vodka is suggested but gin works). Then add one
teaspoon of the mix to one quart syrup and you have the correct amount.
There are 48 tsp per cup, which amounts to 1/16 gm per tsp or 1/4 gm per
gallon.
Tony Jadczak took samples from my colonies and nosema loads were very low
in one and low in another. That sounded like it worked, but he has also
seen the same loads in non treated colonies. Which is why I was reluctant
to post anything about the treatment.
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