Nosema Disease Information

Nosema Diseased Bees are unable to fly or able to fly only short distances. Bees seen trembling and quivering, the colony is restless. Feces on combs, bottom boards, and outside the walls of the hive. Bees are seen crawling aimlessly on bottom board, near entrance, or on the ground, some dragging along as if their legs are paralyzed. Wings positioned at various angles from the body-not folded in normal position over the abdomen. Abdomen distended (swollen). When bees dissected, midgut is swollen, dull, grayish white in color and circular constructions of the gut are no longer evident, normal gut color is brownish red or yellowish with many cicular constructions. Recommended treatment is Fumagilin-B and sugar syrup in the spring and fall. Fumagilin-B is used exclusivley for the treatment and prevention of Nosema. This will mix directly into the syrup without heating. Recommended as a late fall and early spring feeding, it is especially useful in over-wintered colonies. This 0.5gram size makes 6 gallons of medicated syrup. Spring feeding is 1 gallon per hive, fall feeding is 2 gallons per hive. For pricing and/or to order Fumagilin-B go back to the item. (BZM2 and BZM3)

 

Tracheal Mite and Varroa Mite Information

Tracheal Mites are very hard to detect without dissection. If you notice bees disappearing from your hive, you may want your State Inspector to test your bees for this mite. Recommended treatment is that you do a preventative measure by using the Formic Acid Strips (Mite-Away II Quick Strips). They have a treatment period of just 7 days. Daytime temperatures must be between 50-92 degrees. Strips are laid across the tops of the brood frames and they can be used during honey flow if necessary. A spacer rim is no longer needed for these strips but you still need to wear the recommneded safety equipment for the acid. Varroa Mites Infested capped drone brood. Disfigured adult bees, deformed legs or wings. Bees discarding larvae and pupae. Pale or dark reddish brown spots on otherwise white pupae. Visible on the outside of the bee. Spotty brood pattern. Treatment is with Formic Acid Strips (Mite-Away II Quick Strips), see above info with the Trachael Mite. For pricing and/or to order Mite-Away II Quick Strips go back to the item. Another option for this problem is to use a Drone Frame and Foundation. This is a green plastic wax coated frame and foundation in one piece. Mites like the drone size cells. They get trapped when they are capped. You then can remove the frame and put it in a plastic bag and freeze. This will kill the mites. Then take it out of the freezer and remove the mites and replace the frame back in the hive.

 

European Foulbrood & American Foulbrood Information

European Foulbrood Larvae die in a coiled, twisted, or irregular position in their cells. Cells are usually uncapped. Larvae color may change from the light cream to grayish brown, darkening as the dead larvae dry up. Sour odor may be present. Dead larvae are not ropy as in American Foulbrood. Treatment for the above is Tylan Powder. Unfortunately Tylan Powder is now a prescription only medication now. Treat in Spring and Fall. Mix 100mg Tylan with 22lbs. of confectioners powdered sugar. For smaller quantities mix 2-1/2 teaspoons of Tylan powder with 2lbs. of powdered sugar. MIX WELL! Your colonies should receive three treatments administered as a dust in confectioners powdered sugar. Two rounded tablespoons are dusted over the top bars of the brood chamber once a week for three weeks. A 100g package will treat 166 colonies. American Foulbrood Brood pattern is irregular rather than compact. Healthy larvae are glistening white color, diseased ones lose this apprearance, and turn from light brown to dark brown and are upright, not twisted in cells. Larvae long dead develop the consistency of glue and are difficult for bees to remove. Cappings become concave and some will be punctured by bees attempting to remove the dead brood. Surface of cappings will be moist or wet rather than dry. Some dead pupae, shrunken into scales, have their tongues protruding at right angle to their scale or straight up. This may be the only recongnizable characteristic. Treatment for the above is with Tylan Powder. Treat in spring and fall. See the instructions above for the European Foulbrood. For pricing and/or to order Tylan Powder go back to the item. (M25)