another shb question

[NeilV]

I've got another shb question (I've found them in my hive, and they're in just about everybody else's around here). I bought some supers from a beekeeper that has health issues that have caused him to stop. Frames were included (no foundation in them), but they have divided bottom bars. I have heard that divided bottom bars give shb a place to hide/lay eggs.

My questions:

1. Is this really an issue?

2. If so, what do you think about using Gorilla Glue to fill the divided bottom bars?

3. Any other ideas on filling the bottom bars?

[Panhandle Bee man]

1. Not an issue, the bees will fill the area in when they draw out the frames. Plus supers go on when you have a young strong worker force.

2. waste of time/money

3. Let the bees do the work for you, isn't that what you are paying them to do?

[Bizzybee]

I have found as many as 20 beetles in a grooved bottom. They bees will get around to filling them sooner or later and you'll find beetles entombed in there when they do. But I have made a habit of filling the grooves on frames that I don't put wax in for brood boxes. I started with pouring wax which works fine but now put strips I cut from scrap in them. The groove/split doesn't have to be completely filled, just enough to allow the bees to reach the beetles is good enough.

A little work up front like frames and boxes, keeping the cracks down so there are no hiding places goes a long way. Keeping excessive comb off the boxes that the bees can't patrol helps as well.

Maybe I'm being nit picky but I'm not loosing hives to them and I'm not treating and being bothered with trapping beetles either.