After four straight days of rain the sun finally came out today and I noticed right away that I had real dark brown stains on and near the entrance. I did treat the hive a month ago with Fumagilin-B but the bees didn't really take that much in. Please check out the photo and let me know if anyone things it's something else besides Nosema? (http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/3110/img0833nbk.th.jpg) (http://img11.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0833nbk.jpg)
Thanks
You can only diagnose Nosema by viewing the gut under a microscope. It could very well be just a mild case of dysentery.
The good news is warm weather is here and that helps clear up dysentery.
I had the same thing last week. I emptied the top feeders and made new sugar water with Honey bee healthy and they are taking it just fine. They seem to have cleaned themselves out with the new syrup. The front of the hives are nice and clean and they are working like crazy today.
Dennis
Anytime they are confined they will be raring to poop when they can fly again. I would not assume nosema.