[BGhoney]

Can either form of nosema live in your hive equipment ? And if so for how long ? I've been looking and haven't seen any talk about it.

 

[bhfury]

I've heard 70 yrs.

 

[BGhoney]

Not of flurry of replys. Seems like it would be mentioned along with foul brood with a life span like that. Would it be the same treatment, pitch the frames and scorch the box?

 

[BEES4U]

A few replies might mean that some people are not informed!
it's a good question.
Nosema apis might last X years.
Nosema cerana might last X years
A 10% bleach solution could go a long ways toward sanitization of equipment.
I will check back later.
Ernie

 

[Beeslave]

Randy Oliver stated in Scientific beekeeping that freezing temps for extended periods will eliminate Ceranae. Heat(120 deg I think) kills Apis. Some argue that freezing isn't enough to kill ceranae but will really set it back. 10% bleach solution or acetic acid fumigation will eliminate it.

 

[Ravenseye]

There's some great articles lately on Nosema. Most will state that it stays around for a while and that treatments like Fumagilin only suppress it in the bees. Yes...bleach and heat / cold seem to have a great effect but they're difficult to administer on equipment. I would say that if you have Nosema, you can't expect it to go away on it's own anytime soon without a series of efforts on your part.

 

[BGhoney]

That would be good news for the very cold climits, if you had empty equipment setting out. I read 1 of those studies they were showing better effect with temps colder than it gets here, but I would think a few weeks under 20 degrees would slow it down. I could freeze my boxes a couple at a time at zero for a week each. I might make that a normal treatment for empty hives and frames.

 

[BGhoney]

It was just covered the the bee magazine, uv light will kill the spores also, just have to get sunlight into the bottom of the cells, also a light bleach solution will kill it just make sure the liquid is all evaporated. and extreme cold.
Just putting frames out in the sun and not having them melt might be a trick.

 

[honeyshack]

one way to control nosema in equipment and for that matter many diseases is regular change out of brood comb.
And instead of rendering down the wax and reusing the frames, render the wax if you must, burn the frames. New frames are cheap and good management practices in disease control