Diarrhea and constipation in bees

How the cause of diarrhea and constipation can be identified in honeybees?

In this article, we will identify the cause of diarrhea and constipation in bees. Most honeybee metabolic diseases show symptoms of diarrhea in front of the hive or around 500 feet around the operation]. Some defecation may show signs of constipation around the hives (entrance, max. 100 ft. away from yard). Many different reasons that cause similar symptoms to constipation and diarrhea. Important to identify which issue or pathogen is causing the symptoms so that the risk of losing many hives can be avoided.

Introduction

Most metabolic diseases have symptoms of diarrhea. These symptoms can be caused by the following:

– Nosema apis

– Nosema ceranae

– Amoeba

– Moisturized honey

– An excess of antibiotics

– Fermentation on the syrup or honey

Constipation is a metabolic disease caused by:

– A cold climate

– A long winter

– Or a large pollen flow and not enough nectar

Amoeba, diarrhea, or constipation can destroy a colony in a short time by preventing honeybees from consuming pollen. No pollen consumption means that the bees cannot produce worker and royal jelly necessary for brood production colony will disappear

Material

Lab equipment appropriate for identifying and sampling amoeba and protozoa diseases:

• Sample slides
• 40x – 100x objectives microscope
• Tweezers

Methods

There are two different ways to identify symptoms of diarrhea and constipation in bees:

– Use of laboratory equipment 

– Field work without laboratory equipment

How to identify defecation symptoms in the field?

– Look around hive entrances, tops of lids, tarps (for wintering), 100 feet away from operation, or even on puddles

– Dead bees with swollen abdomens and either dry pollen in their rectum and around the entrance constipation present

– Runny, non-digested pollen around the entrance diarrhea present

Over 60% of defecation is liquidity and have seedy spots in the middle  some kind of diarrhea problem caused by either Nosema apis, Nosema ceranae, fermented honey, etc.

– Most defecation symptoms can be seen in early spring or in cold climates.

– Normal to see 60% of defecation being long, dry and streaky. 70% indicates early stages of constipation.

Notes about diarrhea and constipation in bees:

• If after a few days or rain an operation is checked and there are no symptoms of diarrhea or constipation, it is recommended to feed 10% of the operation

• Per 20 hives, 10 frames population each:
• 1 kg honey
• 4 kg sugar
• 10 L warm water
• 0.5 L lemon juice
• Mix the ingredients and portion less than a liter to each hive
• Put three white sheets (1 m by 2 m) twenty feet, forty feet and sixty feet away from the operation
• Feed the bees next – being sure to do this method in above 14 degrees Celsius temperature.
• Note: If there is no choice due to a cold winter, no lower than 8 degrees Celsius
• Wait three to six hours after feeding to count the amount of defecation the sheets

An article by Professor Hossein Yeganeh Rad

Prepared and translated by the team of Wooden hive Company

Any copying with mentioning the source is not prohibited.