Ari Seppälä
>Here in Europe that is not an option as it is illeagal in EU. Spansh 
>authorites
gave an special permit for few years against the general rule, but I don't 
know
if they still use. Other countries don't as far as I know.

It is legal in the UK, but I know of few beekeepers using it - probably 
because of cost.  Nosema ceranae is now found throughout England, if not the 
whole of the British Isles.

The only treatment that I use at all is thymol crystals for varroa which I 
have cut down to 2-3 weekly treatments in August.  This may also have a 
beneficial effect against nosema as I have difficulty finding any spores; 
prior to the use of thymol I would have been able to find low level Nosema 
(apis) in most colonies.

I do not routinely replace brood comb - some are 30 years old - nor do I 
unite weak colonies in the autumn.  I expect higher than normal winter 
losses, but regard that as selection pressure.

My losses last winter were, to me, an acceptable 15%, but almost all were 
from queen failure; this seems to have been a feature in this area last 
winter, with all local beekeepers reporting failure of last year's queens - 
older ones are doing fine.  I am at a loss to understand this as we had 
quite a good summer and would have expected good mating; we certainly have 
plenty of drones.

Best wishes

Peter
52.194546N, -1.673618W

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