Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => Pests and Diseases => Topic started by: Slowmodem on March 13, 2014, 11:20:53 pm

Title: A new tool for Beekeepers on the horizion?
Post by: Slowmodem on March 13, 2014, 11:20:53 pm: This is a neat article about a cheap microscope.

http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/technology/story/1.2571660
Title: Re: A new tool for Beekeepers on the horizion?
Post by: Marbees on March 13, 2014, 11:48:09 pm: Nice article, great invention, thanks modem :)
Every beekeeper should have one in his/her truck. Easy to replace if lost or broken.
Title: Re: A new tool for Beekeepers on the horizion?
Post by: LazyBkpr on March 14, 2014, 12:06:32 am: 2000 times magnification.. IIRC it takes about 4000 to see Nosema spores? Been a long time since I read that, over two days so I don't recall for sure.. :P
Title: Re: A new tool for Beekeepers on the horizion?
Post by: Slowmodem on March 14, 2014, 02:28:57 am: Quote from: LazyBkpr on March 14, 2014, 12:06:32 am
2000 times magnification.. IIRC it takes about 4000 to see Nosema spores? Been a long time since I read that, over two days so I don't recall for sure.. :P

I'm not an expert (nor do I play one on TV). I only copy and paste.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosema_apis#Diagnosis
Title: Re: A new tool for Beekeepers on the horizion?
Post by: Bakersdozen on March 14, 2014, 03:54:15 am: Nice article. The inventor received a $100,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. That's great. Take that! all you Bill Gates bashers!
Title: Re: A new tool for Beekeepers on the horizion?
Post by: LazyBkpr on March 14, 2014, 10:37:24 am: Thanks Slow... again!!! getting to be a habit saying that...

The fluid is examined under a light microscope at 250–500 x magnification where the characteristic Nosema spores[7] can be observed.

SO it looks like this little thing will work!
Title: Re: A new tool for Beekeepers on the horizion?
Post by: Edward on March 14, 2014, 11:21:35 am: Quote from: LazyBkpr on March 14, 2014, 12:06:32 am
it takes about 4000 to see Nosema spores?

400X is enough ;)

mvh Edward :P
Title: Re: A new tool for Beekeepers on the horizion?
Post by: Edward on March 14, 2014, 11:27:20 am: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBjIYB5Yk2I

2-3 minutes in
Title: Re: A new tool for Beekeepers on the horizion?
Post by: Bakersdozen on March 15, 2014, 07:12:51 am: The possibilities for this inexpensive microscope are endless. Schools without funding for science equipment now have something they could afford and so on...
Title: Re: A new tool for Beekeepers on the horizion?
Post by: apisbees on March 15, 2014, 07:51:48 am: But they have to be built specific for a single organism so for each disease you would need a different one. But at $0.50 each it would be a good tool.