Does anybody know much about this pest which is currently afflicting  Spanish
bees having apparently jumped species?

This site _http://www.agroinformacion.com/leer-noticia.aspx?not=26613_
(http://www.agroinformacion.com/leer-noticia.aspx?not=26613)  gives  the Spanish
government version of what is happening, but you will need a  translation to
understand it.

It says that they found that the depopulation of beehives, for which they
had been blaming the use of chemicals, was also occurring in parts of Spain
where no chemicals were used and so they had to look further for the  cause.
They are treating with an unspecified product several times a year  to keep it in
check, but it is expensive and they are looking for  alternatives.

My Spanish friend suggests that a route into that country for this Nosema
may be via the Phillipines as there is much traffic between the two countries
both legal and illegal (and therefore unregulated).

As the US has been experiencing unusual hive depopulations during the last
year or two has anybody looked at the Nosema in the hives to see whether it
might be this strain instead of the tried and tested Nosema apis?

Chris

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