Millers Homestead
Natural Honey Spokane Washington
14606 S. Stangland Rd
Cheney, Washington
Phone Number - 1-509-299-9085
E-Mail - Jim
or - Jenine
Revised - 5/11/12
Current Research and Other Information
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