Here we investigated effects of the antibiotic Fumagilin-B on N. ceranae and effects of N. ceranae on colony strength (i.e., number of bees and amount of capped and uncapped brood, honey, and pollen) and colony mortality. Similar to our previous study, fall Fumagilin-B treatment lowered, albeit weakly, N. ceranae intensity the following spring. However, N. ceranae was NOT associated with variation in colony strength measures or with higher colony winter mortality.  

Overall, Fumagilin-B reduced N. ceranae intensities the following spring, but results were highly variable both within and among beekeepers, and the degree of control was weak. Despite lower N. ceranae intensity in fumagillin-treated colonies, there were no differences in indices of colony strength or winter mortality between treatment groups the following spring, suggesting that both fumagillin and N. ceranae had little effect on colonies under these experimental conditions.

Recent attention has focussed on how multiple factors affect colony health, including parasites and pesticides (vanEngelsdorp et al., 2009). Until influences of all important stressors, both singly and in combination, are known, it may be difficult to understand differences in strength and mortality among western honey bee colonies.

Excerpted from:
The microsporidian Nosema ceranae, the antibiotic Fumagilin-B, and western honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony strength
Geoffrey R. Williams, et al. Apidologie (2011) 42:15–22

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