• Nosema and Essential Oil Results
• On April 17, 2011 we installed several packages onto new foundation.
• Two of the packages developed signs of nosema.
• One hive dwindled and had frozen to death within several days.
• The second package continued to survive and dwindled in size.
• On the sixth day a second vitamin pill was installed in this hive.
• On the seveth day the hive was opened and allowed to sun itself in the warm sunny air.
• The cluster was monitored for the next several weeks.
• On May 14th, 27 days after installing the package the hive was active.
• They started drawing comb and the queen was laying.
• The bloated abdomes had diappeared along with the wet greasy look of the cluster.
• On May 3rd a sample of 63 bees was taken and the results are follows:
• Weight was 0.10 grams per bee.
• pH was 6.60.
• Nosema spores was found to be 8,400,000.
• May 18th a second sample was taken:
• Weight was 0.12 grams per bee.
• pH was 5.45.
• Nosema spores was 5,850,000.
• The test results show that the weight increased, the pH dropped and the spore count dropped.
• All are positive indications that the hive is recovering.



• Lab Test Results of samples taken from Miller Homestead packages delivered 4/14/12.
• Test #1 - 100 samples; weight 14.0g/100 bees; pH - 6.0; Nosema Spores - 2800000; No Varroa or Tracheal Mites.
• Test #2 - 100 samples; weight 13.0g/100 bees; pH - 6.24; Nosema Spores - 5800000; No Varroa or Tracheal Mites.
• Test #3 - 75 samples; weight 14.0g/100 bees; pH - 6.10; Nosemal Spores - 5000000; No Varroa or Tracheal Mites.
• Jims Standard - Weight 15.0g/100 bees; pH - 5.5 or lower; Nosema Spores - 1000000 or less; No Varroa or Tracheal Mites.
• Suggestions on how to improve the health of the Honey Bees purchased from Millers Homestead on April 14, 2012.
• Feed sugar syrup with 1/2 teaspoon of thyme, 1 teaspoon of Lemongrass, 1 teaspoon of Peppermint and 1 teaspoon of Sweet Orange.



• Oral toxicity of essential oils fed to Honey Bees (IBRA 2007)


• Ten products were fed to bees: Clove Oil, Formic Acid, Marjoram Oil, Menthol, Oregano Oil, Oxalic Acid, Sage Oil, Thymol and Wintergreen
• The test results indicated that the tested products could be used safely for treating bees orally if dose is carefully managed in the hive


• Stability of Tylosin in Honey (IBRA 2006)


• Tested with 200mg of Tylosin in 20g of powdered sugar
• Application to be completed at least four weeks prior to main honey flow
• At temperatures 39F, 68F, and 77F the half life is 23.2 years, 2.85 years, and 1.17 years


• Effect of screen floors on Honey Bees and Varroa Destructor (IBRA 2004)
• At nine weeks, colonies with screen floors had fewer mites, lower percentge of mite population residing in brood cells, and more cells of capped brood
• These results suggest that colonies with open-screen floors may hold back the growth of mite populations by decreasing the rate at which mites invade brood cells

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