SHB and Formic

[CSbees]

Does formic acid do anything to eradicate or reduce numbers of small hive beetles? They seem like they would have a high resistance to the acid just as the honeybee.

[Panhandle Bee man]

There have been reports that when using Mite Away II, that the shb are driven away from the hive when Mite Away II is first applied. However after treatment the shb return. When using the West Virginia University's 18 hour method some shb are killed, I am not sure if is significantly enough to use the treatment just for shb, and like the Mite Away, shb return shortly after treatment. On using essential oils, Thymol, and Tea Tree oil combinations seem to drive shb out of the hive, it isn't 100% efffective but will get rid of some of the infestation. All of those treatment seem to irratate the shb, and cover up the attractant pheromones, however it is short lived, and shb seem to find their way back home.

[AstroBee]

I'd say that it has near zero long term effect on SHB. Used Mite Away II this year and still see as many SHB (perhaps even more lately) than ever before.

[jlyon]

Has anyone used Formic Acid together with some sort of trap? I'm wondering if the fumes could encourage them to hide in a trap instead of leaving the hive.

[David VanderDussen]

How well documented is the "proof" that SHB are driven from the hive when MAII is applied? If there is consistent empirical data it should be studied in a formal trial. If proven, then beekeepers with migratory capability might be able to time their MAII application to drive SHB from the hives before a move and obtain a level of SHB control that way. The beetles would not have a chance to lay eggs before leaving and would have to try to survive in the surrounding environment or re-locate to another hive. MAII would not be acting as a killing pesticide, more like an expellerent.

[Gene Weitzel]

I live in a area heavily infested with SHB. I have discovered that the bees themselves make all the difference. The female SHB will make a very tiny hole in the cap of sealed brood with her ovipositor when laying eggs. It has been my experience that the more hygienic the bees the better they will remove the SHB compromised brood before the eggs have a chance to hatch. I have also found that HSC fully drawn plastic comb in the brood nest will allow the bees a chance to clean out the larva even after they hatch since the larva are contained in one cell instead of being able to avoid the bees by burrowing through the comb (it also helps to prevent the massive loss of brood that occurs when they burrow through the broodnest comb). Some bees also do a better job keeping the adult SHB's corralled in a corner, these bees seem to fair better as well. I have watched a nuc be completely destroyed by SHB on the same stand with other nucs that keep them at bay, the only difference being the reaction of the bees to the SHB.