>
> >Wouldn't longer winters, more consistent cold without cleansing flights
> account for much greater spore accumulation the individual bee and colony.
>

Spores in the hindgut do not appear to harm the bee, since they don't
germinate there.  The problem comes if a bee with dysentery defecates those
spores within the hive.  It is easy to observe that other bees will rapidly
ingest that defecate, and thus infect themselves.

>
> >A study that shows lack of increased survival or improved heath seems to
> be
> the clincher that treatment has no value.
>

There's a pretty good body of evidence that in northern climes (at least
where nosema is a problem), treatment with fumagillin can improve colony
health and productivity, both for *apis* and *cerana.*  Please do not take
this as a pitch for fumagillin--I'm simply stating that there is evidence.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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