A colony is said to have dysentery when they defecate within the hive. It is a disease common during the cold season, but it can happen anytime in the case of severe Nosemosis. When majority of the bees become affected by this condition, it may lead to the death of the colony.
Normally, bees take cleansing flights away from the hive in order to excrete feces. This is part of their OC behavior to home cleanliness. When the temperature drops down, it becomes harder for them to fly as it affects the muscles of their wings, potentially leading to their death if they're unable to return. Instinctively, they wait for a warmer day to take the flight. Without the opportunity though, they are then unable to keep it in.
If you cant digest it, out it goes. Cleansing flights are entirely caused by the need to let it out. Depending on the amount of indigestible matter in their food, it pretty much dictates the need for such flights. Old fermenting honey and honeydew collected from plant sap-sucking insects contains indigestible matter. Common practice during a cold season is to replace frames and/or fill empty combs with corn syrup which has almost no indigestible matter.
Nosemosis, caused by Nosema microbes, is a disease that infects the intestinal tract of adult bees causing diarrhea. The spore nature of the microbe makes it easy to be transmitted merely by contact; contaminated food, feces, and even clean up of dead bees. This makes it exceptionally fatal in regions with long and rainy winter where dysentery further increases the transmission within the hive.
Generally, its good practice to replace old frames as it may have accumulated a harmful amount of microbes. If you notice a large amount of dark honey, replace it with a healthier feed. Honeydews don't contain enough protein required by bees to maintain their health.
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