# Signs of nosema



## millbeezhoney (Feb 10, 2011)

is my 4th season and still a beginner, i checked all my hives, 7 are alive out of 16, two of the hives look splattered with brown mud, i saw deer tracks right off but it would have been impossable to get it disperesed all over the outside of the hives, on closer inspection, am seeing areas of the brown splats on the frames inside as well, so it apears the whole bee yard could be exposed, i mixed up some fumagilin syrup, what gets me though, i treated them last fall with fumagilin per instruction.

QUESTION if i reuse these hives this spring, do they need to be disinfected, if i dump a package in with all those poo splatters, will the new bees become infected as well, i never see any disinfectant stuff sold in the catalogues, unless im over looking it would be very costly to replace all the frames/foundation. let alone keep replacing the bees.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Dysentery is not proof of Nosema. Anytime they are confined for a long period they will have dysentery. You are jumping to conclusions. The only way to accurately diagnose Nosema is to use a microscope.
http://bushfarms.com/beesterms.htm#fumidil


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## millbeezhoney (Feb 10, 2011)

thank you so much my friend, i went to your websight and read the nosema section, and am now concidering, removing the fumagilin, these bees are still alive, even with these fecal spatters, perhaps there isnt anythiing wrong at all, we did have some brutal temps, a couple hives looked clear that moisture was the culprit, .

i enjoyed your website very much, easy to read and understand. id like to try and stick with either russian bees, native bees or the minisota hygenic, i am thinking that divercity in the bee yard could bee a good thing, perhaps the bees will develope shared possative traits brred amungst themselves. i tried trapping out a bee tree last year but was unsuccessfull, i realy do like the idea of keeping it all natural, thinking that, only the strong servive in nature, maybe i should take away the fumagilin and just see if they make it, we had a good pollen flow last fall, they were packing it in.

Something else i often wonder about, is the quality of the sugar, could the feed sugars be contaminated somehow microscopicly , i saw the bit about ph in feed syrup and wonder if the ph could be adjusted, organicly, somehow, maybe citric acid?????????????


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I try to not feed and just leave them honey. When I do, I add 7 grams of Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) to five gallons of syrup. Add it to the water before adding the sugar.


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## LT (Aug 17, 2006)

What does the absorbic acid do? Can they digest it? Thanks


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

It shifts the pH to roughly the same as honey.


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## iivydriff (Apr 20, 2011)

Ive been reading about this stuff for a awhile now and Ive got an Idea. Im hoping Michael Bush chimes in here on this. By the way Mr. Bush I beleive you have the best website on the internet, and I like your methods.
Anyway on with the subject. Ive been reading about the Ph of sugar water and the different effects of it. I have access to two Kangen Water Machines. These machines will make Alkaline water in different Ph levels. They will also make acidic water. They will make 2.5 acid and up. Why cant a person just put about a 3.5 to a 5 Ph water in the mix of sugar water to feed the bees. I know it would be easier for the bees to digest, and possibly even prevent nosema. I would rather use a lower Ph water that is clean than use an acid aditive. Citric acid and Acetic Acid are preservatives wich are bad news. Im going to start using this water on my bees. Also I do think Ascorbic Acid is natural acid from citrus. Citric Acid is a preservative.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I try to leave honey, not feed sugar and not have to worry about pH. I only worry about it in syrup when I have to feed, which I try to avoid.

They call it citrus fruit for a reason. It contains, among other organic acids, citric acid.


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## iivydriff (Apr 20, 2011)

Michael Bush said:


> I try to leave honey, not feed sugar and not have to worry about pH. I only worry about it in syrup when I have to feed, which I try to avoid.
> 
> They call it citrus fruit for a reason. It contains, among other organic acids, citric acid.


 Yes I would prefer to leave honey for my bees to overwinter on. I was just referring to feeding a new package or a captured swarm being fed until they build up. I know nosema is mostly a winter time sickness, but I was referring more to the normal practice of feeding until they are established well.


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