about
about
An apiary in our time can bring a beekeeper a significant income. After all, the main product of such farms - honey - is quite expensive in our country. However, the owner of the apiary can get good profits, of course, only with proper care for the insects. Among other things, the beekeeper should have an idea about the most common diseases of his "pets". Also, the beekeeper who wants to make his business profitable should also know how to prevent and treat such infections.
One of the most common and complex diseases of bees is nosematosis. This fungal infection often causes farms of this specialization simply irreparable harm. At its epizootic peak, nosematosis, the treatment and prevention of which will be discussed below, can even destroy the entire apiary.
Signs of the disease
The bees that caught this infection differ from healthy ones in that they begin to eat a very large amount of beef and honey. In addition, insects become restless and irritable. In particular, a good increased activity of diseased bees is manifested in winter. Infected insects even in cold weather start to fly out of the hive. Upon examination of the latter, the beekeeper can notice just a huge amount of feces on the floor and walls of the winter hut.
Bees flying out of the hive die quickly. The feces of infected insects themselves have a watery consistency and a very unpleasant odor. When dried, feces are converted into a “crust” of a characteristic appearance.
Nosematosis - a disease of bees is very dangerous. Of course, those infected with their families begin to lag behind in development from healthy ones. The beekeeper can, among other things, notice a sharp reduction in brood.
About two weeks after infection, the initial symptoms are replaced by more severe symptoms. By this time, sick bees usually significantly reduce flying activity. Also, their reaction to various external stimuli gradually begins to weaken. The insects look really sick and very lethargic. Trying to fly out of the hive, they simply fall to the ground and die.
When examining dead insects, the beekeeper may notice, among other things, the following signs of the disease:
What causes the disease
Each beekeeper should know how treatment and prevention of nosematosis are carried out . The main goal of both of these procedures is the destruction of the causative agent of the disease of the fungal parasite - Nozema . The latter settles in the midgut of the insect, in epithelial cells. In this case, spore-forming forms of this microorganism can live not only in the body of the bees themselves, but also in the surrounding external environment.
Varieties of nosematosis
There are only two main forms of this disease:
Most often, domestic bees have the latest variety of nosematosis. The signs of an acute form of the disease have been described above. Hidden nosematosis, as can already be judged by its name, is very difficult to diagnose. In this case, the disease manifests itself mainly in a small decrease in insect activity and frequent changes in the uterus. In addition, such families are beginning to lag behind in development from healthy ones. Under certain circumstances, latent nosematosis can become acute in bees.
Prevention, treatment of bee nosematosis: ways of infection
Insects are infected with this fungus most often through food. Having developed in the intestine of an insect, the parasite begins to secrete spores. The latter go out with the bee's feces. Moreover, they infect honey and honeycombs. Most often, those insects that were kept in the cold season on honeydew sick with nosematosis. A long winter or a high level of humidity in the hives can also contribute to the development of the disease.
What you need to know
Prevention and treatment of nosematosis - the procedures are, of course, important. However, the beekeeper should be aware that in most cases this infection in the hive is accompanied by a number of other, also quite dangerous, diseases. So, for example, infected insects often develop chronic limb paralysis. Only bees infected with nosematosis can be infected with filamentous viruses, Y, and black queen cells.
In addition, the Nozema fungus , weakening the body of insects, contributes to the development of various bacterial infections. Very often, this disease is also accompanied by European or American foulbrood. Noticeable in infected bees and the tendency to additional infection with pathogens of ascospherosis and aspergillosis. The presence of nozems and Acarapis woodi ticks is often also noted.
Laboratory diagnostics
The treatment of the disease of the bee nosematosis of the patient should, of course, be carried out only with preliminary accurate diagnosis. With this form of the disease, in order to ensure infection with the Nozema fungus , the beekeeper should consult a veterinarian. It will be very useful to collaborate with specialists in the prevention of nosematosis. It is believed that you need to bring samples from the apiary for analysis for the presence of this disease at least once a year.
In any case, the sample for the laboratory should include at least 50-100 bees (live or fresh dead). If nosematosis is suspected, veterinarians will also need to bring a dead uterus, 5 g of honey, 0.5 g of bee bread, rinses of honeycombs and scrapings of feces from the hive.
Disease prevention
In order to avoid infection with bees by nosematosis, the beekeeper should perform the following measures without fail:
the honey left for the winter is checked for a pad;
honeydew honey replaced with floral or sugar syrup;
every winter, bees are fed at least 3-5 kg of sugar;
in the summer, they direct the activity of insects to the construction of nesting honeycombs.
Also, the beekeeper should produce autumn building families. Bees should be kept only in dry winter-houses. At the end of February, nests should be reduced. Most often, treatment and prevention of nosematosis in the spring.
What to do if bees get sick?
If nosematosis was detected, the beekeeper should immediately take measures to rid the hive of the parasite. With diarrhea in bees, you need:
perform an early exhibition of insects from the winter;
clean the bottom, replenish fodder reserves;
create conditions for bees to maintain their temperature around the brood at 35 o C.
The nest should be collected in the center of the hive. In this case, honeycombs need to be left exactly as much as the bees are able to cover with a thick layer. Nests should be well insulated. Weak families are recommended to be planted in a hive in two (dividing by a thin partition).
How to treat nosematosis in bees: the use of fumagillin
Actually, the treatment itself for nosematosis is carried out, as already mentioned, with the use of chemical preparations. Very often, for example, fumagillin is used for this purpose. For 1 liter of sugar syrup of this drug, approximately 50-100 mg will be needed. The temperature of the treatment mixture should be about 30 degrees.
Give the syrup with the medicine to the bees in the spring 2-4 times. The interval between treatment should be 1-2 weeks. For each family you need to spend about 200 ml.
Eneteroseptol treatment
If desired, you can try to treat insects using this Hungarian drug. Eneteroseptol also helps with diarrhea very well. The proportion of the drug mixture in this case will be equal to 1 gram of the drug per 1 liter of syrup. Such a composition is also recommended to be used in spring or late winter.
What more needs to be done
Prevention and treatment of nosematosis should be carried out without fail. However, if a fungus is detected, in addition to feeding the medicine, the beekeeper will also have to thoroughly disinfect the hive. For this purpose, you can use, for example, a 4% solution of formalin or 2% - quinosole. Some beekeepers also use a blowtorch to disinfect.
Water formalin treatment
In this case, honey is first pumped out of the honeycombs. Then they are washed with warm water. The latter is removed on a honey separator. Honeycombs right on the street moisten with a warm solution of formalin. Then they are put in boxes, packaged and transferred to a room (20-25 ° C) for about 3 hours. After this time, the cells are washed with water and centrifuged. Then they are rinsed again and moistened with ammonia (1%) to remove the smell of formalin. After drying, the honeycomb is returned to the hive. Their bees usually take very well.
Use of acetic acid
If the nosematosis is detected, the hive can be disinfected using this substance. In this case, undiluted acetic acid should be used. For each hive, it is necessary about a glass. Pouring acid inside, of course, is not necessary. For disinfection, the hives are filled with honeycombs, frames, feeders and put on top of each other, laying with rags moistened with vinegar. Below set the bottom. The upper case is covered with a wooden ceiling and a hive roof. All available cracks are carefully coated with clay. In this condition, the hull is kept for 3 days at a temperature of 16-18 o C.
Other infections
Of course, nosematosis is a very formidable disease and can even ruin the beekeeper. But of course, this is not the only dangerous infection that the beekeeper should know about. Another unpleasant infection that can cause significant damage to the beekeeper is varroatosis. In this case, the bees are not infected with the fungus, but with the Varrroa destructor mite. Families also often suffer from ascospherosis. This disease, as already mentioned, is sometimes accompanied by nosematosis. It appears primarily in the drying of drone larvae.
Treatment and prevention of nosematosis, varroatosis and ascospherosis are often carried out by beekeepers at the same time. At the same time, beekeepers use both chemical and folk remedies (mainly various herbs). Of course, with varroatosis and ascospherosis, beehive disinfection should also be carried out. In the latter case, as with nosematosis, a blowtorch is often used.
Instead of a conclusion
Of course, mandatory procedures should be carried out in the apiary, such as the prevention and treatment of nosematosis and varroatosis. It is these diseases that affect hives most often. And if the owner of the farm does not take appropriate measures, he will most likely not receive any income from the apiary.