Bob

I understand partially what you are saying. Please remember that my mother
tongue is spanish. I do not understand the expression "80% glacial acetic
acid is a far cry from 5% vinegar" nor either the one "Please don't kill the
messenger Juanse!"

I do not want to kill any one. My reasoning have been the following:

1.- Ask my colleagues from Chile about their winter mortalitiess and
symptoms. Ask my colleguess about their autum preparations and any special
care for Nosema.

The minimun comun multiple was that those that have low winter losses use
acetic acid in their syrup and give some sort of protein/nutrition.

2.- About research on Nosema, my bilbe is an excelente argentinian research
about Nosema Apis on the 50`s - 70`s from Cornejo y Rossi: Las enfermedades
de las abejas profilaxis y prevención (my edition is from 1975).

There they aware the beeks about the "infectant mass".  They recomend

a.- to treat un used equipment with glacial acetic acid in autum and spirng.
They give the dose of 200 ml per one cubic metre of equipment if stored in a
proper shed (not ventilation: "camara de gas") or 200 ml per 8 standard
lanstroth supers if staked out side (minimun circulation).

b.- To change the colonies/families to saniticed equipment early in the
spring. And sanitice subsequently the free d equipment. They recomend either
flaming or acetic.

c.- Minimice stress (opening when cold, moving, bad nutrition, etc) ,
Minimice re-contamination with syrup with dead bees or smashing bee when
working the hive.

d.- Autum feed fumagilin.


My managment have been then:

0.- If colony in problem during winter dribble chlorine.

a.- Change the colonies to saniticed material in early spring. For
sanitizing I scraped the boxes and then let them soak for 5 minutes in
chlorinated water (4%). Let dry for a day, then place new family.

b.- Feed with acetic syrup 5% and nutrition (promotor-l). My reasonig for
dosing. I say if 200 ml per one cubic metre of material or 200 ml per 8
boxes, then between 10 to 25 ml per box. If I feed between 2 to 3 litres per
week with 5 ml per litre, then I am puting in the box , between 10 and 15 ml
of acetic per week for at leat 6 weeks. In the time/temperature inverse
relation discussed it should be ok. I will agree with you that this is just
a guesstimation and that it will be lovelly to have scientific evidence.

This is early spring feeding so there shouldn`t be any honey contamination.
Then comes my multiplication time and most of the "collected" honey in the
brood box" end up in new nucleos families. I do never harvest the frames
that have been in the lower box.

c.- I autum feed fumagilin to most of them. I have some with formic
treatment and some with no nosema treatment. Mayor scale experimenting. I
will report at the end of winter (august).


-- 
Juanse Barros J.
APIZUR S.A.
Carrera 695
Gorbea - CHILE
+56-45-271693
08-3613310
http://apiaraucania.blogspot.com/
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