fumagilin B

[reubenburwell]

How many treatments of fumagillin are normally done? Directions on the bottle are woefully inept. I typically mix 1 tsp. into a gallon of sugar water. I don't know if more than this is required, or secondary treatments. Any thoughts?

[Michael Bush]

>How many treatments of fumagillin are normally done?

Having never done any, I normally do zero treatments.

[AR Beekeeper]

Usually the recommendation is to feed 2 gallons of heavy syrup with Fumagillin.  I can't remember the number of teaspoonfuls per gallon of syrup but I think you are OK with one.

[danno]

cant tell you how many tsp's but its 4.5 grams per gal.    2 gals in fall, 1 in spring

[Somerford]

Readers may be interested to know that as of this Autumn, Fumagilin, or Fumidil B, to give it's trade name in the UK is being removed from the shelves as it has been linked to cancer.

Apparently there is a new treatment on its way, but until then, we have to make do

What is the situation elsewhere in the world ?

[Hethen57]

Now I think Michael B raises mostly ferel bees, but for a beek with domestics like myself, am I making a mistake by not treating with this as a preventive measure?  I have the stuff on hand, but my bees seems strong, so I didn't want to throw antibiotics at them and become part of the problem, if I didn't see any nosema symptoms...What do you folks think?  I still have a window of decent weather to treat, if I am making a mistake.

[kathyp]

i don't and i never have.  i didn't see the point of treating for something i don't have.  however, there is some risk of missing an infection and losing all.  it's a judgment call.  it may also depend on state laws.  i don't know if some states require certain treatments? 

[frankiex]

Reply to Somerford--- It's interesting that the only information available on fumagilin causing cancer on the i-net is your quote from this blog. Every other article regarding fumagilin and cancer is a detail about how it is used in anti-cancer research.

[Michael Bush]

I know of no evidence that Fumidil causes cancer.  It is know to cause birth defects.  In particular, a malformation of blood vessels.

[don2]

For a good healthy colony, I always say, If it isn't broke don't "try" to fix it. :)don2

[hankdog1]

Wouldn't say you don't have an infection cause research shows around 70% of hives are infected with nosema.  That being said you also don't need to have a knee jerk reaction to treat.  Many hives with an infection are some of your strongest ones so you'll probably never notice.  So basically your just wasting money on the stuff. 

[NWIN Beekeeper]

"I don't do treatments."
"I never will."
"everybody has some..."
None of that is justification.

I am not an advocate for medicating bees.
But I'm also not an advocate for telling/convincing "I don't do it, so you shouldn't", and then you have dead bees.

What isn't being said is that you most likely won't need to use it IF your bees are well fed in the fall and spring.
What tends to happen is 'underfed bees' make up for a lack of body mass/fat by eating pollen more frequently.
(Like a sprinter that carbo loads)
This puts more wastes into the bee's gut, and is both more material for the spores to grow in and more cycles of stomach acid to rupture more spores and more disease. Oddly, fatter bees need to eat less to stay warmer.

So if your conditions necessitate, then medicate.
Necessity being: nearby sick hives, history of nosema, and the fear of loosing the only few hives you have.

But try your best to make the conditions such that you don't need to medicate:
-Make sure to feed your bees to maintain a good, healthy, weight and condition.
-Make sure the bees get the most sun to assure the most day heat/light to eat and cleanse.
-Make sure there is enough feed/honey/pollen to promote healthy gut motility (to flush out spore concentrations).
-Make sure low hive entrances are not impeded with debris or dead bees (and use upper entrances).
-Cull frames/combs that have been heavily feces fouled (heat treat boxes).

I gave you how not to need it, not just don't do it.

[hankdog1]

i'm just curious if we are trying to talk someone out of treating then what would you call your opinion? 

So i'm going to jump to the other side of the fence with something i should have added but didn't because i don't buy packages anymore.  You may want to treat after installing a package as it may releave some of the stress from being cooped up in a cage with a can of sugar syrup if they have a heavy infection.