410 
Beekeeping 
Nosema disease. 
In 1909 Zander 1 showed that a protozoon, named by him 
Nosema apis, is found abundantly in the mid-intestine 
of adult bees and he associated this organism in a causal 
relationship with the death of many thousands of colonies 
annually. Since this announcement other investigators 
have taken up work on this organism. It has been deter¬ 
mined that heating the organism to 57° C. (134.6° F.) for 
ten minutes kills it. In England it is now claimed 2 that 
this organism is the cause of the so-called Isle of Wight 
disease or Microsporidiosus which is reported to have deci¬ 
mated the bees on that island and to have caused heavy 
losses in England. Numerous facts concerning this organism 
have been brought out, especially notable being the wide 
geographical distribution of the parasite. In spite of the 
work done by the various investigators there is a paucity of 
authentically proven facts which leaves much to be desired. 
No treatment has been suggested in England except destruc¬ 
tion of the colony to prevent the spread of the disease. 
American beekeepers will do well to await reliable investiga¬ 
tion before following such advice. 
Paralysis. 
Under this name beekeepers seemingly place practically 
all the diseases of adult bees which they observe. Symptoms 
attributed to paralysis are also given for poisoning and the 
more one reads of the symptoms and treatments suggested, 
the more hopeless it appears when one is asked to recommend 
treatment. Until more is known it is unsafe to give advice. 
Spring dwindling. 
This name has also apparently been given to various 
conditions. To avoid confusion it should be applied only 
1 Zander, Enoch, 1909. Tierische Parasiten als Krankheitscrreger bei dcr 
Biene. Munchcn. 
2 Graham-Smith and others, 1912. Report on the Isle of Wight bee 
disease. Supplement Jr. Board of Agric., XIX, No. 2, 143 pp. 
- , 1913, ibid., 47 pp. 
