How To Administer Fumigilian-B for Nosema Ceranae
Nosema Ceranae (Stage 2 of CCD) is a fungus that eats a hole in the gut of the honeybees, like an ulcer. We learned about Nosema Ceranae at the 2009 North American Beekeeping Convention. Nosema Ceranae was first discovered in 1996 in Sweden by Eva Forsgren and her team of entomologists out of Sweden.
After learning about Nosema Ceranae we placed the following treatment into action. In the winter of 2008/2009 (Before learning about the fungus) we had a 50% loss or 200 hives. In the winter of 2009/2010 (after learning about the fungus) our hive loss dropped to 10% or 25 hives. In 2010/2011 winter our hive loss dropped even further to less than 1% or 1 hive and that hive died of an old queen not CCD.
The treatment for Nosema Ceranae MUST be done 2 x per year. The first time is before the honey flow starts approximately January/February...weather dependent as you can not open up the hive(s) until it is 60 degrees or more. The 2nd time is after the honey flow is finished. In Sonoma County this is approximately in October (but MUST be done before Mid-November before the fungus goes dormant for the winter).
Please note that the ONLY sign that the hive may have this fungus is that they refuse to eat because of the ulceration. To check if your hive has this, artificially feed the hive 2:1 sugar water 1 week when the nectar count is low if you come back 1 week later and the sugar water is still there then they have the fungus.
We recommend using Fumagilin-B to treat for Nosema Ceranae, as it is the most effective is killing the fungus.
Instructions:
1. Mix sugar water (1:1 ratio)
2. Remove screen bottom (if applicable) and replace with solid bottom board, or close off the screened bottom board.
3. Tilt front of hive back slightly, so that mix does not run out front door.
4. Gain access to brood box by removing any supers that are on hive.
5. Take large soup can (ex: Progresso Soup can) and puncture holes into bottom of can 5-10 holes.
6. Using another dish measure out soup cans worth of sugar water and 1 tsp of Fumagilin-B and mix thoroughly.
7. Pour mixture over bees in brood box back and forth (S motions)
8. Carefully put hive back together again. Bees will have the "mess" cleaned up within 24 hours.
Note: There is one other treatment that can be used for Nosema Ceranae, it is called Nozevit (it is chemical free as it is made out of oak bark). Unlike the Fumagilin-B which kills the Nosema Ceranae the Nozevit forms a extra layer of protection in the intestinal track of the bee as a protective layer against Nosema Ceranae. However, Nozevit is best to use in conjunction with a pollen pattie for effectiveness.
If you have frame equipment from "dead out's" that you want to put back into service, it is advised to freeze the frames for 10 days. The freezing kills any Nosema Ceranae spores that might exist in the honey comb.
