I have been fighting against winter mortality and Nosema ceranae for three
year in a row now.
The first year I didn't have a clue what was going on and I lost 30% of my
400 colonies during winter. It was a hard winter, lost of rain and cold
weather.
The second year I knew I had Nosema ceranae, but didn`t have fumagilin, so I
developed a method with Chlorine and Acetic Acid feeding. I still lost 40%
of my 1200 colonies. It was the coldest winter in 80 years.
All the above in the south of Chile. Lat : -39º
During these past two season I have learned a lot about Nosema and
autumn/winter managment.
This past season I worked a massive experiment, dividing my colonies in 3
groups (C, A and B)
Group C: 1400 colonies were kept in the same position after blueberry
pollination. They were end of spring (november) nuclei. All of them were
treat with amitraz for varroa after the queen was mated. They were feed with
12 kg of HFCS with 5% fat free liquid protein, with 500 gr of pollen
sustitute rich in fat and sterols (formula later) and also medicated with
fumagilin (full dose as per label indication). This was done at middle of
summer (15th february to 15th of march) for the bloom of golden rod. They
are close to a town and the praire re bloom in autumn, so they have access
to pollen. Around the end of May they were treated again with amitraz (good
results with treatment as per sugar dusting sampling after treatment). Of
this group I only have 20 dead colonies now (30th of July). By end of June
out of 50 samples no nosema spore was found. Colonies look great, all over 6
frames with bees and queens laying.
Group A and B: 450 full developed colonies were moved - after blueberry
pollination - to a honey site in the mountains 200 km south. They gave 70 kg
of honey in average. The main problem at this mountain is lack of pollen
after 15th of february cause only Ulmo (Eucripthia cordifolia) blooms at
this stage. The second problem is varroa build up because one wants the Ulmo
honey (our best honey) and do not treat for varroa so as not to contaminate
it.
Group A: 300 of them were feed with 1.5 kg of protein (pollen sustitute-
formula later) and treated for varroa with formic acid in the middle of
summer (15th february to 15th of march). Two months later, varroa load was
under 3% but they were treated again for varroa with amitraz at the end of
the honey season.
Group B: 150 of them were treated with amitraz at the end of the honey
season. Varroa load was very high, well over 10%. No nutrition for them,
apart from Ulmo pollen.
In both cases amitraz treatment worked ok as per sugar dusting sampling 30
days after treatment, less than 1% load.
Both groups A and B were move 1000 km north at the end of May in search of
better weather. Winter in the north was toughest than in the south, contrary
to expectations. 20 days in a row with under zero temp at nigth and over
15ºC during day. None for the bees to forage. In the south were group C
stayed, temperature was always above zero but under 12ºC.
After winter solstice (23th of june) group A and B were stimulated giving 1
litre of 67º brix sugar syrup per week with 10% of fat free liquid protein.
First three week the syrup had 2% of chlorine. For them on 2% of acetic
acid.
Now (30th of july) group A have 11% mortality while group B have 57%
mortality.
Out of the surviving colonies:
Group A. have 54% over 5 frames of bees, 37% around 5 frames and 9% under 5
frames of bees
Group B have 45% over 5 frames of bees, 28% around 5 frames and 27% under 5
frames of bees
A small Nosema sample (5 cases per group) shows small to null spore count
for group A and medium to high for group B.
* My conclutions are.*
Fumagilin works (group C), Chlorine+Acetic I do not know (group A and B). I
do not have Nosema sampling before treatment.
Nutrition works. The difference between group A and B is amazing.
Varroa Control is a must!!!
Stressing colonies during winter is not good.
I am winning, winter mortality is 7.5% this season!!!
* Pollen Sustitute formula:*
10 dry whole egg (43% protein, 37% fat)
1 dry pollen (21% protein, 7.5% fat)
15 Quinoa flour (15% protein, 5% fat, 9% starch))
20 brewer yeast (43% protein, 1.7% fat)
1 canola oil (100% fat)
2 propolis in alcohol (25% concentration)
7 granulated sugar
44 HFCS
--
Juanse Barros J.
APIZUR S.A.
Carrera 695
Gorbea - CHILE
+56-45-271693
08-3613310
http://apiaraucania.blogspot.com/
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