Re: fumagil doseage

From: James Bach
Date: 3/12/98
Time: 9:39:08 PM
Remote Name: 206.129.139.85

Comments

Barrie, I did some calculations on your dosage figures.

It looks like you used 2/3 (x9.5g) or 6.27g of Fumidil-B for 270 colonies when the label recommends using 9.5g for 100 nucs or package colonies, or 50 overwintering colonies. I think this means you are using 18.5 percent of the label recommendation. I don't think this will do much to reduce Nosema levels if you have any. And if you have Nosema it will probably be the genesis of developing Fumigillin tolerance. Also, you can't expect any observable benefit or even any measurable benefit in reducing Nosema levels. It is not unlike trying to put out a house fire with a garden hose if you have Nosema in the bees, and if you don't I think you've wasted your money.

I talked with Dr. Shimanuki about four years ago when people first talked about putting Fumidil-B in patties. He just shook his head and said it would be a waste of money since it is not likely that any would get into the bees midgut in a manner to cause any impact on the vegetative form of Nosema. He explained that the research was designed to study the best way to get Fumigillin into the bee's midgut and patties are not the way to do it.

It would appear that many beekeepers who use Fumigillin patties have wasted a lot of money buying Fumidil-B!

As we used to say in high school" this is a dirty rotten shame!"