That time of year - nosemas and spring dwindling disease AKA Cororapa

[JohnF]

Well, we're starting to see more bee samples from collapsing (or collapsed) hives in the lab, testing positive for what we dubbed Cororapa back in 2014/2015.
For those interested, the story so far: Are You Seeing Signs of Nosema in Your Hives?

 

[tristan]

For those interested, the story so far: Are You Seeing Signs of Nosema in Your Hives?

something worth repeating from that article,
"Talk about it

The way in which the affected beekeepers dealt with the discovery of this syndrome demonstrated lessons that should serve us well. The beekeepers in Coromandel talked about it with their colleagues and discovered that 14 of them were affected by the same issue. More conversations got ourselves and Plant and Food scientists involved as well as the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Getting a fatal disease in your hives does not make you a poor beekeeper – it’s what you do and who you tell after the fact, that determines that."

one of the issues back when it first came up was someone did one post on it and never came back. so there was no discussion so it was written off as probable PPBK. a problem i've always seen in beekeeping is lack of information being shared.

 

[Josh]

I enjoyed that advertorial… interesting about these more subtle, but equally lethal conditions that have probably left people scratching their heads for a long time

 

[Fieldbee (Mary)]

Well, we're starting to see more bee samples from collapsing (or collapsed) hives in the lab, testing positive for what we dubbed Cororapa back in 2014/2015.
For those interested, the story so far: Are You Seeing Signs of Nosema in Your Hives?

Thanks for the heads up John, are you at liberty to say what areas are represented

 

[JohnF]

I enjoyed that advertorial… interesting about these more subtle, but equally lethal conditions that have probably left people scratching their heads for a long time

Not quite Josh - this hadnt been seen before this outbreak - N. ceranae was only discovered in NZ back in 2010

 

[JohnF]

Thanks for the heads up John, are you at liberty to say what areas are represented

We've seen it in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato areas Mary, and also the Wairarapa

 

[Josh]

Not quite Josh - this hadnt been seen before this outbreak - N. ceranae was only discovered in NZ back in 2010

How long has the technology been available in NZ to make the diagnosis?

Must admit in my early beeking I never read, or was advised to bag up a few failed hive bees and send them to this sort of outfit. That’s something that should probably be brought into the teaching. Although PMS, starvation and “learning curve” are most likely, would be good to know about these other things too.

 

[JohnF]

How long has the technology been available in NZ to make the diagnosis?

Must admit in my early beeking I never read, or was advised to bag up a few failed hive bees and send them to this sort of outfit. That’s something that should probably be brought into the teaching. Although PMS, starvation and “learning curve” are most likely, would be good to know about these other things too.

The technology used is the same as the COVID PCR testing - namely quantitative PCR. In contrast to what you may have heard from COVID nutters, the technology has been around for over 20 years and is used in a wide range of human, animal and environmental diagnostics.
I should point out that 'this sort of outfit' is *our* outfit !

The important aspect of that bit on sampling is "If you’re not sure about getting a test, take the 10-20 bee sample into a small container and euthanise by freezing the bees overnight". ie you don't need to get things tested - but if something looks strange then put some strange bees in a ziplock and freeze.
Were EFB or another virus to come into NZ, then MPI and others will rely on this activity. If something looks really strange then take the samples and call the MPI hotline to report it immediately (0800 80 99 66).

 

[Fieldbee (Mary)]

We've seen it in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato areas Mary, and also the Wairarapa

It has been hanging around BOP since it arrived but it depends if people know how to manage it.

 

[Josh]

It’s a cool tech, I rely on it more & more with my work & it’s made a big difference in infection work I do (in people).

But early on NZ labs lagged behind international advice/literature. Largely because the PCR primers were really expensive and hard to get. But that seems less of an issue these day.

 

[JohnF]

But early on NZ labs lagged behind international advice/literature. Largely because the PCR primers were really expensive and hard to get. But that seems less of an issue these day.

Do you mean for COVID? Or for qPCR in general??
qPCR has been in use for NZ diagnostics for over 20 years. No, hasn't lagged behind the rest of the world

 

[Dave Black]

How long has the technology been available in NZ to make the diagnosis?

The lab testing is really good, but let's not forget amateur beekeepers have been making a nosema diagnosis with a light microscope since at least the 1950s.

Just sayin' (again)

 

[Josh]

Do you mean for COVID? Or for qPCR in general??
qPCR has been in use for NZ diagnostics for over 20 years. No, hasn't lagged behind the rest of the world

Lagged might be the wrong word, but we didn’t have the breadth of diagnostic PCR choices, I was lead to believe it was because of cost. But we are talking over 15years ago.

Now it’s a lolly scramble 😁

 

[Josh]

The lab testing is really good, but let's not forget amateur beekeepers have been making a nosema diagnosis with a light microscope since at least the 1950s.

Just sayin' (again)

Awesome… no school like the old school

 

[JohnF]

The lab testing is really good, but let's not forget amateur beekeepers have been making a nosema diagnosis with a light microscope since at least the 1950s.

Just sayin' (again)

True Dave. But that was for Nosema apis alone. Many could diagnose just by pulling the bee apart (ie nevermind the microscope).

But to assess whether Nosema ceranae and/or Nosema apis and the levels?? Nope

 

[Dave Black]

True Dave. But that was for Nosema apis alone. Many could diagnose just by pulling the bee apart (ie nevermind the microscope).

That was pretty unreliable actually, borderline misleading TBH. But we did that for acarine very successfully.

Of course your right John, I'm not advocating a return to the good ol' days, but it's good to know where we've come from.