Hello Randy & All,
Part three:
Now its spring 2009. Stupidity is doing the same thing over and over and
expecting a different result so I need to make a change concerning those
boxes.
All the beekeepers ( last post) which looked through those boxes felt the
boxes were the source of the problem.
So I decided to use acetic acid and even contacted a few friends across the
pond about the best method.
Then I read about the Clorox solution working as good.
Allen asked about the spray method:
We used a spray bottle like you would mist plants. In my heated building (
with radio on) I pulled each frame and culled some but if a comb I liked I
handed to my helper and he misted across the frame three times . Once
directly aimed and the other two one at a downward direction and one at an
upward direction. We arrived at the method after looking with a bright light
light trying  several methods and distances. With a que tip we found the
surface was covered and also the inside of the cells. With three mists (
each side)  no excess ran from the frames.
Once the boxes were ready for bees they sat for 4-6 weeks.
The inside feeders were washed out with a hose end sprayer out side the
building and also misted with a Clorox solution as were the inside of the
deep boxes.
After losing untold bucks on these boxes in 2008  ( 100 nucs with laying
queens plus feed  /  patties plus labor and loss of honey production) this
was my last time to screw with these boxes. If these do not take I will run
an add in ABJ and sell to Randy Oliver cheap! ( kidding randy !)

So this time I add a nuc with either a mated  Australian queen or a
California Italian queen.
Same exact scenario as in part two Those hives build exactly like the year
before, we move into yards and super but this time the bees thrive and do as
well as my other production hives. low spore counts.
Huge populations of bees this fall. After supers were pulled I started
feeding to see if problems > All hives made a gallon of sucrose disappear
in 24 hours with no dead bees in the feeder.

I consulted by phone with the Sullivan's and they said when the nosema
ceranae issues are resolved they went back to feeding fumigillin in syrup at
the label rate so that's what I did. I even waited like I usually do till
late October to feed the two gallons with fumigillin to make sure in stored
for winter feed.

I have tried to explain carefully each step. *If* I had not monitored spore
counts I might have thought maybe a virus issue. but in my opinion those
boxes ( or perhaps the feeders) carried enough spores to cause a serious
nosema ceranae issue.

So today those hives look great and in my storage  I have *zero* dead out
boxes which came from hives in which the bees stopped taking feed and the
feeders were filled with dead bees.

I do not believe the Sullivan's had to use Clorox or acetic acid on their
boxes but will ask next time we talk.

Whatever the contamination problem was freezing did not solve the problem
( at least for sure in the Part two part)

In my opinion not also in the part 3 but I really have no way to know for
sure as I used Clorox on all the boxes.

I do wonder about spore contamination in the feeders. Would the nosema
spores resisted the freezing because suspended in even a thin amount of
heavy sucrose syrup? Do dying bees from nosema ceranae regurgitated spores 
into the feeders?
 We tossed the syrup in the feeders before Part 2 but
did not wash out.

In part three we washed out good plus used the Clorox solution.

Most of my hives never had nosema ceranae issues but all of my hives have
been fed fumigillin on a regular basis for many years. The main reason in
fall was winter survival and if needed in spring to give longevity to the
older foragers.

Which is the reason I am puzzled by having nosema ceranae issues at all.

I have fed fumidil B for years. As do many large beekeepers for the reasons 
I stated. Did I hear a moan from the organic beeks? I also treat for varroa 
as needed. Another moan from the organic beeks.

Allen asked awhile back about my varroa testing method. Mostly I use the 
ether roll > Not the sugar roll draws another moan from many.  Time is money 
and the ether roll is fast and accurate. II made up a couple hundred sheets 
as Allen Dick web site says from 4X8 sheets (while porcelain board) but they 
took too long to place & return to check so they are sitting in the shed. 
Now I use those to set drums of honey on in my honey processing area as 
placing drums directly on my glossy flow leaves a rust circle.

I scratch and pull larva off of about all comb I look at during the season 
and use a bright lite to look for varroa scat in deadout cells in spring 
which to me is a sure sign of varroa levels over threshold at time of 
collapse.

Juanse asked about sun issues and bees:
I do not have a clue.

I will say I can explain most my honey crops. 2006 & 2007 were drought years 
in my area. 2008 & 2009 were the wettest years since the start of record 
keeping for my area ( including the flood years of 1951 & 1993). When it 
rains all the time the bees do not fly and unless combined with high temps 
you get poor honey crops.


Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Access BEE-L directly at:
http://community.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-LSOFTDONATIONS.exe?A0=BEE-L