Author Topic: Question about poop (Read 3695 times)

Ocean · « **on:** March 23, 2006, 12:09:29 pm »

Hey everyone i come out to my backyard to check on my bees often, and just yesterday i noticed something new that haven't been there before..

ON both hives there is alot of poop, on the hive itself, alot on the entrances of both hives and all over my yard, even on the windows on the sides of my house as well..

the poop is very thin and sorta like a line like this _____ but there are so many of it i dont understand is it normal or no?

I spoke tomy dad and he is thinking logically, its probably because the weather is getting better and the younger bees that haven't gotten out yet, are doing their cleansing flights and thats why we get alot of this poop everywhere...

i mean this poop does not bother me if its all over my house.. i dont care its just i don't my bees to be sick.....

Please fill me in... if needed i can take pictures of what i've seen today

Apis629 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 23, 2006, 02:39:55 pm »

Based on your descrition, it sounds like your colony has nosema. This can be avoided and treated with applications of Fumidil B but, if the weather is good it will usually go away without very much dammage. THe biggest problems are formed when the bees can't actively fly.

Virginia Beekeeper · « **Reply #2 on:** March 23, 2006, 02:53:03 pm »

I hope that it is a cleansing flight. But it does not sound normal. I have 30 hives and they are all clean. Are your bees flying normal other wise. Are there any bees around the front of your hives that apear to be weak or shivering, or they maybe be just crawling around aimlessly. If so they may have Nosema. If you have been feeding your bees and they have been unable to fly this can some times cause Nosema this early in the year.
If they have these symptoms There are a few things you can do. You can treat with Fumidil - B in the sugar syurp just follow directions on the label. If you do not have a top entrance you may want to provide one inorder to increase ventilation in your hives. The fact that they are able to get out and fly is one of the best thing for them.
I hope this helps, good luck with your bees.

Bill

Finsky · « **Reply #3 on:** March 23, 2006, 03:06:53 pm »

Look this and pic

http://www.ent.uga.edu/bees/Disorders/Nosema.htm
.

Ocean · « **Reply #4 on:** March 23, 2006, 03:45:17 pm »

Finsky thats definatelly not what i got lol

i have some poop, but not so much, and my bees are flying just fine, they coming back with alot of Pollen.

I'll take some pictures for you guys and let u decide what it is

Finsky · « **Reply #5 on:** March 23, 2006, 05:27:35 pm »

Quote from: Ocean

Finsky thats definatelly not what i got lol

i have some poop, but not so much,

If you have less poo than in that picture bees have no abnormal situation.
If it is nosema, poo will be inside and on frames too.

I think that you hive is fine. Every hive have some poo on front wall after winter.

He is severe case, and I have had this kind of cases.

bassman1977 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2006, 06:29:11 pm »

That's just foul. :shock:

That's not what my hive had either and as Apis had mentioned earlier in this thread, my bee's poo problems went away.

Robo · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2006, 08:59:55 pm »

Waht color is it? If it is yellowish, it is normal.

If it is dark brown, they are suffering from some level of dysentery. Finsky's photo shows an extremely severe case.

Nosema can not be diagnosed without inspection the bee internals under a microscope.

Bees with dysentery may or may not have nosema.

beemaster · « **Reply #8 on:** March 23, 2006, 09:54:30 pm »

We had a lot of cleansing flights "off and on" all Winter into Spring long - it really limits them as a possibility, as Robo said dysentery (or a good case of the trots) running through the hive. Could be a short term problem, something that will cure itself even as more and more activity OUTSIDE of the hive gets your bees away from the hive.

Cells rotate out as brood develop, cleaning continually goes on and eventually everything may be back in balance. Diagnosing other problems is a bit me troubles some, I would keep an eye on them SINCE you say they are behaving fine - but keeping some white cloth nearby to catch flight droppings, maybe photograph them if possible or drawl them out if not.

We (our membership) really needs to compile either our own photos or links to great disease photos for comparison purposes. I've seen so many poor photos on the net showing Foul brood taken from too close and blurry or to far away and not helpful. A data base of ALL good and bad health conditions is a good goal for us to compile - having healthy hive images is JUST as important as bad health issues.

P.S. everyone may have noticed I changed temporarily the logo-photo at the top-left, still looking for a GREAT image to go there, I have been drawing some stuff - not to take GIMP or Paint.net and do the magic :)

On.... and the signature (I just want to let some of the influx of new members catch up with the Admin guy) so there's a bit of info... funny, I though of 4 other hobby things to add, so it's back to the painting board. For the curious, that photo is of me WEARING MY No.17 Matt Kenseth hat while sitting at Dover Speedway in Dover, Delaware.

bassman1977 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 23, 2006, 11:55:40 pm »

Quote

For the curious, that photo is of me WEARING MY No.17 Matt Kenseth hat while sitting at Dover Speedway in Dover, Delaware.

I'll be at the Dover race in September. I can't wait. Anyway, it's Kasey Kahne's year so it's still not too late to join the winning team :D

beemaster · « **Reply #10 on:** March 24, 2006, 12:17:06 am »

I bought the Dewalt 1:24 scale - such a beautiful car too - it sets atop my motorhome www.beemaster.com/bus.html dash (on non-skid pads) and stay put too - lol.

I love the KILLER BEES and still think they are a great pit crew. I also like JAck Rouche so, lots to like there. I agree though Casey could be the man to beat this year, but don't count out Kyle Bush either.

As planned, I'll be at that Dover Race too - in section 14 between turns 1&2 ( at the end of the goal post seeting - I like to call it) and keep in touch, I'll be having the motorhome on the lot, so the fridge will be loaded with beverages of all types and I'm a good cook with satalite TV, can't get much better than that :)

Finsky · « **Reply #11 on:** March 24, 2006, 01:08:52 am »

Quote from: Robo

they are suffering from some level of dysentery. Finsky's photo shows an extremely severe case.

quite new report 2005 http://www.agric.nsw.gov.au/reader/527

Nosema can not be diagnosed without inspection the bee internals under a microscope.

I named that poo problem also dysentry but there is reason behind that phenomenom. When I have read about nosema, many signs match with nosema

- swollen bees on bottom
- badly reduced winter ball
- loose feces like diarrhea
- in spring they are not able to raise brood properly before I give them frame of emerging bees from healthy colony.
- queen may stop egg laying in spring
- hive do not consume pollen patty because bees intestine is violated

* milk white intestine. Healthy is partly transparent and light brown.

Nosema is common. Now it is found cerana nosema in Europa. It has killed a lot hives during winter.
â€œAsitischer Nosema-Erreger festgestellt â€“neu verbreitet oder erst jetzt entdect?â€ Dr Wolfgang Ritter, CVUA Freiburg. Deutsches Bienen Journal, 3/2006, s. 16

.

Kris^ · « **Reply #12 on:** March 24, 2006, 07:55:36 am »

My three hives are clean, and my nuc had poo, but I treated it and it cleared up. But last weekend I watched a bee land on the door of our utility building and let out a yellowish string twice as long as herself, then fly away. Good to know now the color was right!

Kris