Hello Brian & All,
My two cents worth on the information Brian posted.
>"N. ceranae" is "one of many pathogens" in the bees, said entomologist
Diana Cox-Foster of
Pennsylvania State University. "By itself, it is probably not the culprit .
. . but it may be one of the
key players."
Again none of the beekeepers reporting bee losses treated their hives with
Fumidl B according to the survey report.
>"We still haven't ruled out other factors, such as pesticides or inadequate
food resources following a drought," she said. "There are lots of stresses
that these bees are experiencing," and it may be a combination of factors
that is responsible.
How can you ever rule any of the long list of things found ? So many
problems found in those deadouts and bees!
>Historically, bee losses are not unusual. Weather, pesticide exposures and
infestations by pests,
such as the Varroa mite, have wiped out significant numbers of colonies in
the past, particularly in
the 1960s and 1970s.
I can't believe this statement is included in such a technical report! We
had neither the tracheal mite or the varroa mite in the 1960's & 1970s.
Hopefully this statement was only a reporter not getting his facts correct!
.>But the current loss is unprecedented.
NO ITS NOT! We saw higher losses when the U.S. bees were first hit by
tracheal and then again by varroa.
>Researchers now believe that the foraging bees are too weak to return to
their hives.
Thats what we have been saying all along! . Disappearing is not correct!
Jerry B. realized this fact right off and changed the name!
>It is not known if these small, RNA-containing viruses, which infect the
Varroa mite, are pathogenic to bees.
And really if significate at all!
>Skowronski forwarded the samples to DeRisi, who also found evidence of the
viruses, along with
genetic material from Nosema.
No news here! We knew the above right from the start!
>If Nosema does play a role in Colony Collapse Disorder, there may be some
hope for beekeepers.
>A closely related parasite called Nosema apis, which also affects bees, can
be controlled by the
antibiotic fumagillin, and there is some evidence that it will work on N.
ceranae as well.
There is more than evidence! reports from overseas say although stubborn
the new strain can be controlled with the proper dose of fumagillin. One
gallon of fumagillin mixed as per label FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER GALLON OF
UNMEDICATED SYRUP.Although what the label says very few beekeepers follow
the treatment with the last gallon!
Also many of my beekeeping friends try to treat more hives than the label
says the product will treat which only knocks nosema back but does not
eliminate the disease.
I have always been able to control nosema by following the label
instructions to the letter. You can not treat fall hives ( 60 per 9.5 gram
bottle)with the same dose as spring nucs ( 120 per 9.5 gram bottle)and get
good control although I have watched beekeepers try to use the spring dose
on fall colonies!
Reports from overseas I have got is that all signs of the new strain may not
completely disappear with a single treatment and a second might be needed
later around 6 weeks later. Possibly because of reinfection from bees
cleaning nosema from the hive after the treatment period. Not sure but
reports indicate a single treatment greatly reduces the problem.
The price of Fumidil went up by around thirty bucks so many beekeepers quit
treating and paid a dear price as far as nosema is concerned in my opinion!
Every time a product used by commercial beekeepers goes up some dose low or
do not treat at all until losses occur. Has been that way since I started in
beekeeping almost fifty years ago!
I remember Richard Taylor always said treating for nosema was a unnecessary
expense in his Bee Culture column till the year he lost most his hives to a
nosema outbreak! I really gained respect for Richard that year when he
shared the cause of his loss in his column and said out of control nosema
would wipe a yard of bees out!
In the case of the European foulbrood (EF)found many of the CCD deadouts
those beekeepers quit treating with terramycin and went to tylosin which
will not control EF> Many thought they were only seeing Parasitic mite
syndrome (PMS) when they really were looking at EF which many had perhaps
never seen before or in so many years they did not recognize the disease.
Step one in my opinion is to become better beekeepers. Reduce numbers of
hives until you get a handle on your operation.
I find it interesting that the CCD problem is believed to have started
around three years ago. Exactly the time when almond pollination fees topped
a hundred dollars. Outfits expanded beyond the numbers of hives many could
handle!
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
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