Thank you very much, to all of you that responded to my questions about
Nosema.
     This is what makes BEE-L such a wonderful asset to beekeeping.  I
needed some help, and suggestions on what to do with my hive, and I got
it.  I have only one hive for now, that I have worked hard to save, and
I have come along way, and I will not give up now.  Some would say that
It's time to fold up and get some package bee's this spring, and maybe I
will have to, but this hive has gone from a double full bodied hive just
packed with bee's, to a single deep hive with just only three frames of
brood.  Varroa devastated this colony.  As I said before I discovered
this hive in an old orchard, and they were in a stack of old bee hives,
stacked there eight years ago by a beekeeper that passed away.  He used
to pollinate this orchard, before my neighbors bought the property.  The
hive was stacked with a shallow on the bottom then two deeps topped by
another shallow.  The bee's propolised all the major cracks, due to the
fact that the stack was leaning and not lined up, with 1/4 to 1/2 inch
of the lower boxes open on the top.
     I rushed, out after my neighbors said I could have the hive, and
purchased a couple deep boxes and shallow supers, from the only feed
store that carries beekeeping supplies.  I looked up a local beekeeper,
to get some help in a crash course in beekeeping, when I learned about
varroa.  He suspected that the hive would be infested with varroa, and
he was right.  It was a huge job to move them into a new hive.  The
frames were totally propalized, and stuck.  I remember working till
sweat was pouring into my eyes, and after 30 minutes I was only able to
get three shallow frames out that were full of honey.  The bee's were
nasty and I was very nervous about getting stung.  I almost gave up.  I
waited till the next day and continued the job, till it was done.
     After I got them moved in, I noticed that the brood was scattered,
and there were many small bee's with shriveled wings.  They were dying
like mad, I watched the bee's carry many bee's out that were sick or
dead day after day.  I went out and purchased Apistan and put in the
strips.  I saw bee's coming out the entrance and shack fiercely, and
could see them shacking the varroa off their backs.  The whole floor of
the hive was peppered with dead varroa by the next day, however the
sealed brood also contained varroa.  I removed some bee's from their
capped cells and could see two or three mites per cell.
     As time went on there weren't enough bee's to cover the brood, and
many died from being chilled.  I removed many frames of dead brood that
had been uncapped by the bee's.  I requeened, once I got the mites under
control.  I treated with Terramycin, because with all the dead brood I
didn't want any further problems.
     I was feeding them syrup, and grease patties, but I waited too late
to put on Fumidil-B, because I was afraid of combining Terramycin and
Fumidil-B. The bee's didn't take up enough syrup.
 
     With all the responses I got, the overall suggestion was to try the
baggy feeder method.  I put on a bag this morning, and checked them just
before dark and I could not believe my eyes.  They were clumped up all
in rows drinking it down.  It is almost gone.  I will put on another bag
tomorrow, if they use it all.  I put Fumidil-b in the syrup, so I think
that they will get enough this time, and then I will work on getting rid
of the original comb.  I can't get rid of it yet because it contains
pollen, honey and healthy brood.  Even though I see some bee's with
Nosema, this is the best they have been since last summer.  I have now
about 6-7 frames of brood and they are getting stronger and stronger.
     I think I will beat this newest problem, and I owe it all to all of
you, and Bee-l.  I have been reading every posting to this list and I
have learned allot in the past 6 months since I signed up.  Even though
there have been some tempers flaring, and disagreements on specific
practices, that's what makes Bee-l so special.  We all have one thing in
common, and that is the love for bee's and the science of beekeeping.  I
will always have bee's now and for the rest of my life.  My 8 year old
daughter loves to learn along with me, and look at all the great web
pages, and software now available about bee's.
 
THANKS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!
BRIAN HENSEL
[log in to unmask]
Santa Rosa California