[crofter]

I have seen very little recently about experience with Nosema. Does anyone have demonstration microscope slides with known samples of the two Nosemas?

This past winter so far have had no deadouts, but the previous winter I experienced 5 out of 7 deadouts but attributed it quite likely to the fact of being snowed and iced in with (for the first time) no upper exit. There was evidence of heavier than usual dirtied up frames. I wish I had testing done. I do have a 400X microscope but dont know if what I am seeing is Nosema or not.

Do you just feel it will go away by itself or is anyone decontaminating known infected frames. I have seen some suggestion that recovered wax may not reach high enough temp. to deactivate N. Ceranae anyway.

 

[rwlaw]

I don’t have the article book marked, but get on Randy Oliver’s web site, search for “the nosema twins” and his testing procedure. The two are similar but different, luckily I had a entomology student at my side when I was first testing and we found them both in my samples.
IMO, just because (unless it’s a very contaminated hive) it’s not worth the trouble to get rid of comb. Most of my samples and after many, many field’s of view I would find a cell or two of nosema in most.

 

[Robert Holcombe]

There is a lot research going on about the "silent killer". From what I know, a colony can clean itself out as it, Nosema C, accumulates in adults. It is said that to be not related to diarrhea but I would be leery of that conclusion or there is no Nosema A ( very little now). The best indicator I know of is that bees will leave the hive thus removing a mass Nosema C. Combs do become contaminated and I think it is also in honey. I have picked up bees in the snow. I watched as they warmed up in my hand and came to life. They then flew a short distance - back onto the snow!

The spores can be killed by cold treatment; below freezing for a few days and other difficult treatments like sunlight and Glacial acid ( acetic acid). One reason why I wash my honey frames, dry in sun and freeze them for a while - good hygiene.

I think I saw a hive die from Nosema in the winter of 2017 but did not test - too dumb then. I had seen suicide flights in the winter of 2018 but all hives recovered. My biggest problem has been Queens failing over winter to produce spring brood. I am only a backyard newbie but learning. Winter 2020 has one queen problem out of nine but I have only inspected two for brood so far but the rest look strong while viewing the entrance. ( 2015 and 2016 were simply novice disasters - I grow all my own bees now and buy mated queens, some open mated colonies.)

It has been reported that OA dribble supresses Nosemac C count but I have not read a specific test report for this approach.

 

[crofter]

Thanks;

I have commonly seen the flying out to dive in the snow but despite that, I had had good survival 'til winter before last. The possibility of queens being effected is interesting. I saw no signs of brood up having commenced in the deadouts I examined and one was alive but queenless. I even had one of Beesource's notorious information sleuths (Litsinger) see if he could find a connection with hive suffocation conditions and queenlessness. That winter was also the first trial for me of super insulation but bottom only entrance and ventilation. Perhaps there is a connection in that respect with Nosema C.

Previous to that troubled winter I had experienced European Foulbrood losses but felt it had cleared by autumn. The following winter troubles did not appear connected with the previous EFB.

There is a good reason for the advice to change only one thing at a time when you are trying to isolate cause and effect. The conclusions otherwise become confusions!

I looked at Randy Olivers site re. Nosema; I did find some things on my slides that looked like his slides of Nosema but there are so many distractions of other garbage and pollen grains of every description that confused me. Someone knowing what to look for would likely have been able to decide in a flash; significant or not.

In any case I am going to continue to meditate on that equipment in storage.

 

[msl]

Previous to that troubled winter I had experienced European Foulbrood losses but felt it had cleared by autumn. The following winter troubles did not appear connected with the previous EFB.

I saw the same, did later in the year OTC treatment as I tryed all the old ways to deal with the "old" efb 1st.. and they failed.. That yard took 85% winter losses.
some one pointed me here https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5681286/pdf/pone.0187505.pdf sujesting OTCs disruption to the gut microbes leads to nosema vulnerability.

I have bumped in to several others who have had the same issue with poor overwintering post OTC

 

[crofter]

I saw the same, did later in the year OTC treatment as I tryed all the old ways to deal with the "old" efb 1st.. and they failed.. That yard took 85% winter losses.
some one pointed me here https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5681286/pdf/pone.0187505.pdf sujesting OTCs disruption to the gut microbes leads to nosema vulnerability.

I have bumped in to several others who have had the same issue with poor overwintering post OTC

Wow! Some reading there! One quick glance mentioned process of preparation of Nosema sample for microscope slide. Had not thought of the antibiotic treatment connection with Nosema.

Thanks,

 

[Mike B1]

I recently sampled several hives and sacrificed a few girls that were willing to take one for the team. This is a slide prepared from a sample of ten, from three hives. I don't remember the exact dilution, but no Nosema was evident. What is visible are pollen and hair.