# Nozema



## Yellow Bee (Jul 15, 2011)

Looks like all my hives suddenly have nozema! What do I treat them with?


----------



## Wisnewbee (Apr 8, 2011)

Why do you think you have Nosema? If you're seeing some streaking from cleansing flights on your hives, that's normal. You need to so a microscopic level inspection to diagnose Nosema. There are also 2 different strains of Nosema, Apis, and Cerane. The treatments are different depending on the strain. I'm not mentioning the treatments intentionally, because in my opinion, you may not have Nosema, or you don't know which strain you have. It could just be dysentary, and all you do for that is feed.

We need more information to help you.

Wisnewbee
Honey Luv Farm


----------



## Jon B (Apr 24, 2013)

Some of my hives were showing signs of dysentery this spring. I would recommend feeding the bees sugar syrup. It helps if you add a little Pro Health or Honey-B-Healthy to the syrup. My hives are looking much better now after two feedings.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

All bees that have been confined have dysentery. You try holding it for several months...


----------



## SK47 (Apr 21, 2013)

I also am suspecting nozema, but not sure. I'm new to beekeeping, so this is my best guess. I've seen a lot of dead bees through the winter (E. Kansas), and I attributed it to normal die off. But now that the weather is getting warm, I'm still seeing dead bees. I clean them off the bottom board every day on one hive (I have 2). The colony appears to be healthy when the day warms up - lots of bees coming and going, but the dead ones concern me. The dying ones get very lethargic, and end up lying on their side, but still alive for a while. 
I understand that you need to dissect them to identify it, but I really don't know what to look for. If you can help me, please respond. I want to save this colony. Thanks!
Sonny


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I would feed them. Syrup is just as effective on Nosema as Fumidil. Since Nosema cerana arrived Nosema apis seems to have disappeared. If you really want to diagnose it, you need a microscope (some are pretty cheap these days) and this is what you're looking for:

https://agdev.anr.udel.edu/maarec/h...-and-diseases/diseases-of-honey-bees/?pid=121


----------



## bddavis79 (Jun 16, 2012)

I'm glad I saw this thread. I installed some packages 3 weeks ago and I noticed the tops and fronts of hives had diarrhea on them. I jumped to conclusions about nosema and sick bees, yada, yada, yada. Man I would have bet it all on them being sick. Then....suddenly, mysteriously, it just went away. Michael I think your right. Just feed them for a minute and see what happens. However, it would be cool to check a few bees out under the microscope. If only because you get to tinker with it


----------



## SK47 (Apr 21, 2013)

Thanks Michael. I haven't fed them syrup since early winter. I have made some fondant and fed that to them more recently. I'll try the syrup and see if it helps.
Do you think the fondant would be as effective as feeding syrup for this condition?


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Do you think the fondant would be as effective as feeding syrup for this condition? 

No. I think syrup would be more effective. You need to "flush them out" and that will happen more with syrup than with fondant.


----------



## bddavis79 (Jun 16, 2012)

I was thinking along the same line as MB, I had good results with just simply feeding them. However, I didn't realize that it would be as effective as fumidil. Anything that will save a little cash and keep another treatment out of the hives is always a good thing.


----------

