Question about diarrhea ~

[Flygirl]

My hive is surviving the winter well & I know they're getting out because there's diarrha on the front of the hive.  I gave them some pollen patties today & noticed a lot of poo inside the hive, on the frames & comb. 

Do I need to try & clean this up or will they do it later as it gets warmer outside?  It's only in the 30's today & I just popped the top to add the patties but I heard some angy buzzing!  It's yucky in side.

Also, I have some frames from the hive that died & I cleaned out the dead bees but there's diarrhea on these frames too.  How to clean these before I use them with my new packages of bees?

Thanks for your help!  Flygirl

[RayMarler]

Diarrhea in the hive is from Nosema disease, a fungal infection in the midgut. Nosema Apis is the old one, but now we have a new one is Nosema Ceranae, which seems to be worse. Treat with Tea Tree Oil in sugar water or treat with Fumagilin, or do a search and see what others are using with doseage.

[Michael Bush]

Dysentery is just a sign they have been cooped up for a while.  It MAY be Nosema.  It may NOT be Nosema.  If they have been cooped up a while before you see it it's pretty normal.

[Flygirl]

Thanks for the replies.  Yes, they've been cooped up for months & it's just now starting to warm up into the 30's during the day ~ still to cool for them to get out ~ I think?   I used honey bee healthy in the sugar water when I made the patties.  I have Fumagilin but I'd prefer to not use it.

I'm concerned about the frames & comb in the frames & if I need to clean these before I use them again?

Thank you ~ FG

[gmcharlie]

any pictures?  can't say as I have seen bee's with the scoots.....