SHB Larva

[RonS]

I installed package bees about two months ago. I noticed a SHB on the top feeder a week or so later, but did not worry as it is a fact of beekeeping. Recently, I installed a screened bottom board and have noticed one SHB larva each time (3) that I have pulled the trap. On frame inspection, I do not see any larva or beetles, but I do have a very large number of bees. Should I be concerned?

[Beemaninsa]

If you have beetles then you will have to live with them. I would take no action if I only saw an occational beetle. If you are not used to looking at the worms, make sure the beetle worm is not a wax worm. Keep your hives strong.

[Gene Weitzel]

What kind of trap are you using? Are you seeing any adult SHB in the trap?

One or two larva are probably not much cause for concern if you have a lot of bees and you are not seeing any comb damage upon inspection. If on the other hand you can see some comb damage, then I would be concerned that a lot of the larva are escaping your trap.

If you are only seeing one or two adult beetles in the hive, then the bees are probably doing a pretty good job of keeping them "at bay". I have DE (diatomaceous earth) in my traps and I am still seeing alot of dead and dying adult SHB's in the traps and once in a while I will see one or two small larva in the trap as well. Generally I only see one or two beetles in the hive on inspection and if I wait and watch long enough I will see the bees "throw" them to the bottom where they usually go through the SBB into the DE (never to return).

We recently had a lot of rain and cooler weather in our area and they seems to bring the SHB's into the hive more. When it hotter and dryer I see fewer of them.

Keep a close watch, things can go bad quickly if the SHB's get ahead of the bees, especially on a new package (I have lost three new packages this year, SHB's contributed heavily to their demise).

[tecumseh]

rons sezs:
I do have a very large number of bees. Should I be concerned?

tecumseh adds:
as long as the hive is populated and growing the little black bug is of little problem. they can fairly quickly overcome a hive that is faltering either from weak queen or population and/or insufficient nectar (stores or flow).