Only a Problem When It’s a Problem

[@barbeonline351]

Question: You keep using the word "inoculate". Do you really mean "infect"? Or do I misunderstand what "inoculate" means?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

You would be correct, I’m not immunizing anything. I guess it’s the term that I think of when the nosema puddles introduce themselves into the entire yard of bees through drinking the tainted water and so as to affect it throughout,"

[@TheFarmacySeedsNetwork]

Yes, UNWANTED inoculation.. :)

[@larrymote5817]

@@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog kinda like the Covid shots

[@chindodawg]

@@larrymote5817 masks for every bee!

[@Richardmaclachlan]

Inoculation is the act of implanting a pathogen or microbe into a person or other recipient. We tend to intermix the terms vaccinate with inoculation.

[@ke6gwf]

Spraying a dilute beach solution in the evening after the bees are inside seems like potentially the best way to deal with this, because then you get the hives and ground and everything else, not just the bucket tops. The buckets have that inner ring, as well as they can be dished, so while trimming the rim would reduce the depth, it seems like it will still retain water.

[@danielweston9188]

Dip the bottom into a thick primer and dust with sand. We did that at a Zoo when we had a similar issue.

[@BucketListBees]

I’m thinking a 65 gallon tank mixed in plain bleach mounted on a 4 wheeler. Zoom by a and spray the buckets and hive lids. 65 gallon yard sprayer should do it. Bees will think they are by pool….lol

[@FlakeyPM]

I like that idea. Use a small boomspray and hit the tops of the hives as well.

[@timfeckley1689]

I’m liking the plywood idea with a brick and a tote on the truck with bleach water and a sprayer! Best of luck!

[@timfeckley1689]

Minimal effort is the key with the number of hives you have!

[@timfeckley1689]

Also with the small plywood cover could stay on top of the lid for storage when buckets are put away,and bleach water actually is a benefit to the bees I think bob b mixes it 1tsp per gallon

[@cliveharrison733]

Hi Ian we use Virkon as a general disinfectant around the farm, a quick google brings up a US trial testing it as an equipment cleanser against the spores of AFB showing positive results, easy to apply via a back pack sprayer or even possible tractor spray. Can’t find anything on detrimental effects to bees but I’m sure the manufacturers would know.

[@bkiesz]

Wow.. I just love watching your videos.. What a wealth of information. As someone who lives in the Dakotas, I can relate to the weather you have; even though yours is a bit more intense. Thanks Again!!

[@Bri_bees]

We use copper bars to kill bacteria in our process, so a penny on the bucket might work. You could also carry a sprayer with vinegar in it.

[@paulhermes9817]

I think Penny stopped being copper in the US

[@GOAP68]

@@paulhermes9817 switched to a 97.5% zinc alloy in 1982.

[@Bri_bees]

The US penny is zinc plated with copper and the copper doesn't dissolve it kills bacteria by contacting it as it floats around.

[@kat2641]

@@GOAP68 actually?? Not a problem . Just had a thought I have a ton of new AC copper tubing from cut offs.. me thinking cutting inch pieces off an hammer flat an would be as good as a 1902 copper penny right??

[@claudesully]

Great intuition and diagnosis of the poopy water situation... I wish I could bring my dremel and notch those buckets for you... hang in there dude🤔🤔🤔🥸🥸

[@bduerr5082]

A piece of plywood bigger than the size of the bucket and a rock or brick to keep it from getting blown off. The benefit is that empty pails will not blow away.

[@jimbonevideo6941]

Randy Oliver talks about a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution as being effective to destroying spores. You could get a battery powered backpack sprayer and spray the hives and pails down in the field. I recall seeing some research where a biologist fed the bees a similar concentration of hydrogen peroxide concentration and the bees handled it well considering it was being mixed with their feed. A little overspray into the box would probably not cause issue. And the bees wouldn't be dragging the nosema they pick up on the landing board/box throughout the nest.

[@drjmarkrodgers1428]

What about some sort of belt sander that would zip off that flange . Winter chore…..

[@MikeBarryBees]

Quite a conundrum with the buckets. No way to get all that done alone. Notching as you said seems it would help. Or run they buckets across a stationary belt sander and make the completely smooth across the bottom. Hope the nice weather treats you and your bees well.

[@ApiculturaNaPratica]

Good morning, I follow your work here in Brazil, I like it very much. Just an opinion, which I would like to share. If you spray these buckets with chlorine in the field, perhaps it would help with this disinfection. The chlorine used in sugar syrup to preserve it does not harm them, I believe that if you find a moderate dose it could be used right there in the place where it is, Thanks for your videos they are really good!

[@eddielloyd13]

Ian try spray bicarbonate of soda on the ground or salt. With a citric acid mixed into it. Farmers use lime for liver fluke. So i can't see why a natural product like bicarbonate of soda can't help. Natural and cheap.

[@Jack-es9xq]

My bees would be hitting me like an army of halfbacks if I opened the hive on a day like that

[@DuckRiverHoney]

It’s amazing how fast your season changes.

[@ke6gwf]

Just potty train the bees! 1 trash can per yard should be enough, and just put a "Latrine" sign on it. Then stencil "No Pooping!" on the hive lids and bucket bottoms. Problem solved!

[@RB-cz5jn]

Maybe real bad idea but pressure washer with anti etc in soap straw. I’ve used a 55 gal drum with a gas pressure washer. But you probably have access to bigger tanks.

[@MerrittHoney]

I like the dilute bleach/battery spot sprayer idea. Haven’t researched bleach vs nosema though. Seems like this or similar method would be cost and labor tolerable.

[@MerrittHoney]

We use 10% bleach sprayed for general clean up with no noticeable adverse effects to bees. Dilute bleach is wonderful at sanitizing/ cleaning outside the hive AND we use sublimated wood bleach inside the hive. I wonder if oxalic acid kills nosema… That would be too easy, huh. Lol.

[@hughreynolds6183]

Unfortunately these pails have a strengthening rim near where the body and lid meet. On the ones I have this also fills with water. And the only adjustment there would be to drill holes all the way around the rim. I guess this is a product that needs a significant redesign to suit our industry. It might be possible to fit a saucer on the bottom of each pail...while that might fix these pails its not a very practical solution. Brand new design needed. Thats an opportunity for an agile entrepreneur.

[@TheFarmacySeedsNetwork]

Make a snapon cover for the tops of the pails.. so rain runs off and so does poop... lot less hassle than scrubbing... there ya go man... clip or even take a grinder and just knock the edge off so water doesnt collect. thanks Ian!

[@barbeonline351]

Lots of ideas in the comments. My $0.02 is a pressure washer mounted on your truck. One person drives slowly down the rows. Another walks down the rows of hives and gives a low pressure scrub to the buckets and tops. Most pressure washers have venturi intakes so you can blend in a active ingredient if you want. And you can maybe use the boom to guide the pressure hoses to keep from tangling among the boxes? Not saying I know anything. We just hope to inspire you....

[@quarantene3072]

Colloidal silver spray ... Just a tiny bit goes a long way ! Im just thinking out loud here so dont get mad at me. I enjoy all your efforts keeping the bees alive .

[@brianwashburn4917]

Put pail directly on bubble wrap on the frames, place empty deep box over that, then cover with lid. Till this passes. I think a deep box covers your pails. Just an idea

[@brownsbloomtenders]

I can think of a couple options that can be made quick to remove lips on buckets. No prep way; cordless grinder with a coarse flap disc and have at it. Unfortunately you will have inconsistencies in depth and effectiveness. More prep way: make a plywood jig to hold on the bucket edges and groove slots where you want the drain slots. Using a router with a 4 flute machine mill (size of your choosing) and a centering bushing, run router along slots at preset depth to remove the offensive ring bits. You would be able to establish consistency and duplicatability in just a couple of buckets. As you are already moving the buckets around, prepare a dozen or more and swap for the unmodified as someone modifies and refills as you move through the yards. I can see this adding a second person and maybe a couple hours to the next feeding evolution.

[@SteveDratwa]

File a flat spot in a few areas so water runs off on the bottom lip of bucket,,maybe use a 1/2" flat file and leave enough edge to hold bucket together ???

[@Allan79789]

Today was a great pollen day, rivers of it coming in, line up at the doorway, had to take the reducers off. Waiting for some hatching brood to boost my smalls.

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Ya we are already equalizing but early by a week . I can’t wait. We will just make 2 rounds

[@turanlevent2221]

Hello my beekeeper friend, I have been following you for a long time. I'm also watching Nosema disease in your bees give us the same in our bees, what do you use for treatment please write to me I need your help Thank you

[@milanmilan2077]

Hi, can I ask about the size of the frame? Thank you.

[@calvinkalmon6746]

Grind/sand the edge rim and center rim off the pails.

[@garycorlew2080]

I’m think a pump sprayer for gardens and stuff spray with diluted bleach solution

[@robertdemers5125]

1200 pails is a lot of notches. Maybe use a belt sander, catch 2 edges of the pail with one push. Up and down,then left and right. 4 notches.

[@christianshannon3943]

How do you keep the migratory covers from warpage. Even my bees test moderately high for nosema back in April even though I treated them back in November. They haven’t had the poops though. Our winter was real mild here in Prince George, Virginia USA

[@baraktzfanya3980]

Add Tee Tree Oil drops to the syrup you feed with!!

[@nszucs1]

Provide an alternate water source with some minerals that are attractive to them? Quarantine yard to Nosema colonies? Interesting but difficult problem there

[@billbo520]

As a beekeeper who does not like being stung I shouldn't laugh but I do laugh every time you get stung.

[@duaneswenson9712]

What is the current Statis for The US to ship packages bees to Canada? I am a beekeeper in Minnesota that currently winter my Bees in Southern MS and what like to supply packages or queens to Canada in the near future.

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

The embargo remains

[@dcsblessedbees]

I wonder over time I would think it'll make nosima resistant lines of bees? 🤩Build a SUPER BEE.

[@davidryle1164]

That was me this morning Ian "ouch, you little bastards" lol. Have you ever considered using a hive top feeder rather than buckets?

[@therealbacalao1402]

How much are the bees drinking when it is raining and they have fresh syrup coming in? I would think they’d mostly be drinking when the weather is warmer, in which case the pail top would dry up.

[@10peteo]

During the winter when you are in the house way more than the wife likes, you could instead heat the bucket bottom slightly and distort the bottom enough that the water runs off.

[@Draintheswamp2024]

you might sand the ring off the bottom of those buckets

[@nickgroenhof2670]

Ian do you have any hives you didn’t feed pollen to. I’m very curious how big of difference feeding all the pollen makes for you in the spring. Sometimes with pollen feed it seems like the first one or two make a difference but the next rounds are a diminishing return

[@kat2641]

Wow what a pain.. sanding belt seams like the quick an fastest fix but that is going to be a time consuming job because my experience sanding plastic plastic is the burrs edges which require another step of trimming off the burrs.. even with a 40 grit belt I still got it. Trimming with a hot knife is too slow of a process.. 🤔 I have a air 1 inch belt hand held sander in shop I shall do some experimenting an get back to you….

[@MyALevelMathsTutor]

So put a piece of string across the top and down both sides...then run a tape around the side to hold the string in place...should take just a minute for each :)

[@sinisterhipp0]

Ya know, it’s a common problem in some areas that bees love drinking neighbours swimming pool water… chlorinated swimming pool water. Hmmmm does nosema survive chlorinated swimming pool water?? Hmmmm What I’m saying is go buy some tubs and swimming pool treatment and try that for a water source 😂

[@theohiohousewife]

No joke, it works. They love bleach water and vodka.

[@billybobbarker3175]

Maybe a crazy idea maybe not. Find some plastic Tupperware lids or cheap frisbees just the right size that snaps onto the bottom of the pail so the water sheds off doesn’t hold any puddles. Second is the science question Does the UV from the suns rays not sterilize spores that are outside of hive? If it does, you may be stressing over a problem that is not a problem. There may be spores in the water, but if those have been killed by the sun, not a problem? Ask your TTP rep. …. And let us all know the answer. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this is a case where the science and TTP saves us money and work instead of creating more. … depends on the answer tho.

[@79PoisonBreaker]

Perhaps a new routine for just after first flight of the year a portable pressure washer to rinse equipment off

[@patrickcalhoon3512]

What is the effect of UV radiation? Maybe you are only seeing dead nozema

[@jenohrasko6390]

Ian! Please give them same water, near the dry protein. You can see a big change!

[@ThatBeeMan]

Watering can, spray clean water on the pails after a rain?

[@judwithaneye]

How does the nosema affect the inside of the hives? Is the comb infected, too?

[@danbenefield6532]

Hey, have you ever thought about putting the bucket directly onto the mat with an empty super on top then the lid on top? Keeps the bucket inside like an internal feeder, bees can't get into the empty super...

[@timHclem]

The bees are crapping everywhere. Did you take any samples from puddles where they’re drinking? May be to big a problem to solve by just notching feeder pails.

[@edparks2306]

Could you spray the outside of the hives with bleach and water?

[@thomaswilliams6155]

Portable steam power washer.

[@Warren76317]

Would adding Bleach to the syrup help control the Nosema?

[@theohiohousewife]

That’s what I do

[@RobinCoolidge]

How long does the organism live outside the bee?

[@davidturford3376]

Just love it when forget to fasten vail zipper

[@apospical2648]

3-d Printed cover for the bottoms of the pails that doesn't allow water to collect?

[@cfraz47]

Maybe fill the bottom with epoxy or acrylic.

[@graemediesel2936]

Notching the pails so the water drains off better isn’t perfect but it’s probably the most practical solution.

[@GOAP68]

Slide them across a table saw.

[@Allan79789]

@@GOAP68 With a Dado blade?

[@GOAP68]

@Allan79789 typical table saw blade is 1/8" wide. More than enough to let a little water drain. Least it was for the buckets I've used it on. Run it thru, turn 90 degrees and repeat. Have 4 quick notches. Just need to make sure the bucket lips are all the same to avoid damaging the bucket bottom.

[@janeicker]

How do you secure the pots against gusty winds?

[@jeremynitz3682]

A grinder with a rasp wheel on should take the lip down on the buckets.

[@DougMassengale]

can you spray your stuff with bleach water?

[@scottp3287]

Research star san . Its a disinfectant used in distilling. You spray and forget it? Best of luck

[@tjones2ful]

Put empty box and another lid on top until the pollen flow pcks ip.

[@tracyweilandrealtorbeekeep3957]

I wonder if you could spray them down with a bleach solution overnight when the girls are all inside. Like once a week until the summer weather starts

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Thinking about that

[@janeicker]

Maybe ditching tops with kind of soldering iron at three spots at the edge is the fastest…

[@kathyhathaway8823]

Have you ever thought about putting 4 wheel drive on your boom trucks for getting around in the mud an snow ???

[@dianetaylor6751]

Pool shock tabs

[@tjjastrem127]

Are you giving them rocket fuel in the syrup or only in the pollen patty?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

They are getting my full supplemental hit. No holdin back this year

[@garyfreeman5999]

Fumadil B? Do you think that might get it?

[@peaceinvalleygreenhouse6915]

Research this: fumadil works on Nosema apis, not so much on Nosema ceranae. 95% of what we have here on this continent is Nosema ceranae.

[@MyALevelMathsTutor]

how do you get rid of water on top of a concave bucket lid?...don't nick it wick it! I mean attach a string to the base and down the side and it will wick the water away...simples :)

[@justinmk79]

Maybe a spray of bleach in a pump up sprayer

[@michaelshelnutt3534]

What is the difference between failing and small?

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

Small are just small for many possible reasons and they are viable. Failing are just that, small because they have failed

[@jeffgarland5332]

Would a chlorine tablet on top work

[@johnstewart6298]

How about bringing with you a 5 gal. pail with a water and bleach solution so you can just quickly dip the pail bottom into the bleach before refilling with syrup.

[@mikef9966]

just sand the bottom ring off

[@kamhoneybees3900]

hpw about keeping a spray bottle filled with bleach and give each pail a spritz as you are in the yards

[@ThatBeeMan]

8:13 You still want to give them a gift?

[@lasource811]

Ah sh*t, literally. Did you check the water itself. But in any intensive farming it is real hard to keep life stock alive and bees are probably the worst in that regards.

[@MrJengish]

😮

[@douglas2330]

Have a summer student cut, grind or sand off the lip on the bottom of the pails. Also transfer hives to clean boxes and have student clean & disinfect the removed boxes and rotate all summer if possible. Just a thought

[@barbeonline351]

Everything is labor intensive, but having the hives put in the newest boxes he has seems a no brainer--especially for overwintering.

[@1westing1]

Beach water

[@plainsimple442]

Put some bleach on top of the pails.

[@3Beehivesto300]

Weed sprayer with bleach. Walk down the row and hit the pails 🪣

[@RodHermann]

8:08 Spicy girls

[@sergepajcin1255]

Feed them more with sugar syrup would help speed nosema faster

[@tjjastrem127]

Sand the lip down

[@lt35phila]

Fumidil