Hello Chris & All,
Chris said:
I don't think fumidil can be used as a preventative

I know that many beekeepers ( none with CCD problems last year) simply add
fumidil to feed once a year ( some twice)  but I am not sure *preventative*
is the right word.

Nosema can be found in most commercial operations by microscope but not at a
level considered as harmful. In fact many if not most of the things detected
in the CCD hives can also be found in healthy hives at anytime of the year
but of course at small levels.

 I have always found nosema in beekeepers bees which do not treat. I
consider nosema which can *only* be detected with a microscope to be low
level.

If the bees are not under stress,flying and no midgut discolor or
inflammation then the beekeeper might pass on a treatment and recheck in a
few months.  I have with success ( no hive death) but will never be sure of
the loss of honey production.

Sometimes after a hard winter one in every 10 sample bees might have midgut
problems but in a month of flying its hard to find midgut problems.  I am
not sure what it takes to increase nosema in bees OR make the level reduce.
Stress I am sure of as well as hive confinement increase nosema levels.

,> It may prevent it multiplying  as rapidly where it is already present
(therefore too late to prevent) and so be  of some use,

Fumidil has always eliminated the midgut symptoms when used and backed up by
my field tests. Like I said earlier fumidil and I go back decades.

><but if it is already present it is likely that it has reached
the  spore stage and so beyond reach of fumidil. The spores will infect new
young  bees as they clean combs and so the cycle will go on unless you break
it by   providing clean combs or foundation/strips.

I know of no U.S. commercial beekeepers which change combs after detecting
nosema. I have culled a few dysentery/nosema  comb when I thought they
needed replacing anyway or have cleaned the tops of the frames off but so
far fumidil as always solved my nosema problems. Clears midgut symptoms I
would say in about ten days or the time you would expect an antibiotic to
work.

Treating the new nosema ceranae( more than once) with fumidil will cause me
management problems because of having to be used in syrup. For various
reasons I may not want to feed the bees extra syrup at that particular time.
Plus the 2 gallons of syrup (to get the fumidil to the colony) might cost as
much as the treatment.

Unlike many of my commercial friends I will not hesitate to spend the money
to help keep my bees healthy BUT still like to use IPM and only treat when
needed!

bob






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