treating for SHB

[tom h.]

has anyone tried using Used cooking oil for small hive beatles. The process is using a small container pour about 3/8" of used cooking oil in the container and placeing it on top of the supper and the beatles are attracted to the oil and they drown.
CAN ANYBODY HELP ME WITH THIS

[kenpkr]

I use the Hood SHB traps available from Brushy Mtn bee supply. Check it out on their website. The trick is to have a lid on the container that the bees can't get thru but the beetles can. I've been using powder sugar to knock down mites lately and I've noticed a side benefit is that a good many beetles fall down too. But you have to have a sticky board at the bottom that will catch and hold them otherwise they'll crawl out and back in the hive. Good luck.

[kenpkr]

Just saw this post-

Hood shb trap (http://www.beesource.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=12;t=000940;p=1#000 004)

[Rob-bee]

I have a SHB problem and bought both the Hood and the West beetle trap. And put both in to see which was better. Both available from Brushy Mountain. The West Trap by far catches a lot, a lot more beetles than the hood. I recommend the West in the summer when they are down-in the hive, maybe in the winter the Hood would be better than the West. But I doubt it. Spend the money and get the West and the SHB will be sorry.

[wayacoyote]

I'm all about the West after seeing what they did the first year. I'll add that my hives sit on plastic to keep SHB larvae from reaching soil to mature... same effect as Guardstar without the chemicals... But that doesn't have any effect on keeping the adults under control and the adults are the ones that add eggs and more larvae to the hive.

Today, taking advice from others here, I chose to go with diatonaceous earth in the West trap instead of oil. I was pleased to see that it will be cheaper for applying to my 9 hives than oil. And I'll even have enough for others or retreatment. Much better cost wise... hopefully as effective. Did the application today, will check results tomorrow for an initial "control" and will recheck in a few days to get a daily average...

Another benefit of the West over the Hood is that what falls in dies. This includes varroa, making it as effective as a Screened bottom board. Killing to pests with one stone, anyone?

West traps Are pricy, but I figure someone with a metal break and some #8 mesh could whip up a similation. One beek said she/he fashioned one from a cookie sheet for fractions of the cost.

I can't say anything on the original question of the cooking oil except to try it and let us know.

Good SHB kill'n.
Waya

[sc-bee]

I used canola on towels and spraying the top bars for a while---without much luck. Have one hive with the hood beetle trap. I think it saved it until it was strong enough on it's own.
That's not a lot of field study. I still see shb on about every entry but it seems to be the numbers you need to be concerned about( I believe myself and others are always doomed to see a few :( .) I' never seen a west trap but once. So I can't compare the two but some feedback I have heard. With the west a hive has to be level because of oil spillage. I move my hives occasionally and the hood is convenient for that. I have heard some say if not careful rain will get in the oil pan (west). And of course the expense comparison. But I do see where the coverage would be better with the west and catch other pest also. Others have chosen DE as ways states above.
GOOD LUCK and hope no one else has to open a hive to see a stinking mess or writhing shb larvae :mad: