Beekeeping > Pests and Diseases
Nosema or Normal Results from Being Cooped Up All Winter
blueblood:
We have had a long, wet and snowy winter here in Indiana. The gals have been taking for the air this week for the first time in weeks. Here are a few pics of a couple of my hives that have heavy poop paintings on them I am not one to treat my hives. So, If an old salt tells me the hive is going to die, I guess it's going to die. I am only seeing this on a few of the hives this heavy.
I found an a thread similar to this on popular bee forum and found it interesting. One reply started a discussion about the the size and shape of the poop splatter as to whether or not it was friend or foe to the bee's digestive system. As in, Nosema or just simple need to take care of business after being in the hive so long. Another, said the Nosema will pass without treatment once the weather allowed the bees to be bees. One suggested looking in the hive for poop most notably on the top of the frames to find real trouble with Nosema and suggesting poop on the outside of the hive was not as much as a concern.
Perry:
Pics 1 and 2 seem normal to me. Pic 3 is different in that it suggests the bees did their thing right near an entrance(?) rather than take flight to do it. Heavy defecation in one area, near an entrance might cause me to investigate (when weather co-operates of course). :-\
iddee:
I would not bother to investigate. I would be throwing the fumidil to them while they are still alive.
blueblood:
--- Quote from: iddee on February 22, 2014, 04:01:31 pm ---I would not bother to investigate. I would be throwing the fumidil to them while they are still alive.
--- End quote ---
I am just not sold on Fumidil. Plus, I am not sure it isn't just dysentery. I have pasted two links below that may help a keeper now or in the future when they come across this thread. One is a general information sheet on Fumidil and the other is from Michael Bush (you have to find the title Fumidil).
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/fumidilb.html
http://www.bushfarms.com/beespests.htm
I am just a 3rd year keeper and I respect that experince is king. However, I have done my share of reading. I don't just read anybody's experiences. I pay attention to old geezers like Iddee here O:-) and well respected keepers elsewhere. I weigh in on the theories/opinions/results and form my own plan of action. I test it, adjust as necessary and move forward.
INTERESTING SIDE NOTE: I ventured back to the yard an hour ago and noticed the bees had cleaned off most of of the entrance to the yellow tbh round entrance and the blue hive. It didn't rain today either. These bees, I am always intrigued by them.
riverbee:
"I would not bother to investigate. I would be throwing the fumidil to them while they are still alive."
"I respect that experince is king."
and how about experience is queen?....... :D
what iddee said, throw the fumidil on them when you can. did you have defecation inside the hive and on tops the frames?
bees will clean it off the exterior of the hive, doesn't mean you don't have a case of nosema going on.....just my two cents.....they are tidy insects.
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