Filling AJ's Beetle Eater

[okb]

http://www.wasba.org/SHB.pdf

Here is some reading on it.

[Keith Benson]

I am going to use a syringe, that way I can measure the oil needed and I don't have to try to see down inside. It being all black, I can imagine it will be difficult to see the oil level inside there.

You may find that the black plunger on the syringe won't necessarily hold up to the oils. And it could get sticky over time. Try it, but don't be surprised if you wind up going another route. They do make syringes specifically for oils, and you might be able to pick up an old-style ground glass syringe on eBay that might work better.

Keith

[Troy]

I saw a thing made for measuring medicine for babies in the pharmacy at Wal-mart the other day. It was like a mini turkey baster.

If one doesn't let the oil ever get up into the bulb, that should work well and allow me to measure the correct amount too. It cost like $1.27, so even if it doesn't last more than one season - that is fine too.

[mikesfarm]

I just ordered a few of AJ's traps. Are those that are using them baiting them with a similar lure to the Sonny-Mel traps ? What are people using to cover them with ? Any good local things that the bees are not eating ? Why do they not ship with the nesc covers ?
Thanks
Mike

[Tillie]

I've bought them but am a little confused about the covers. If I go buy vinyl floor covering at a carpet store, what do you use to cut it or is the idea to cover more frames than the two holding the AJ trap? I wish it were shipped with the covering already done right or at least with a picture.

Linda T confused in Atlanta

[ajs beetle eater]

i will get you a picture put up in the next few days i will show you what the matt looks like aj

[ajs beetle eater]

tille if you look up mercer mat on the net you will get an idea of what i mean aj

[Tillie]

Hi AJ,

I use inner covers on some of my hives - sounds like the Mercer Mat is made of vinyl but is just an inner cover in disguise??? So the mat to use over the AJ's Beetle Eaters should cover the tops of all of the frames in that box in the way an inner cover does?

Linda T in Atlanta

[summer1052]

I have one of those little cork/metal spout combos that I bought for vinegar, oil, and other decorative kitchen bottles. You know the kind: put your oil in here, and drizzle into the pan, and it looks nicer than a big ol' bottle on the counter. I bought mine at a Pier One type store; a larger grocery store or gourmet shop should have them by the handful.

I put oil in a small bottle, added the spout, and use that to fill the trap. Works like a charm. You can add oil without having to remove the top of the trap, just drizzle in.

Summer

[ajs beetle eater]

hi guys just wanted to know how the beetle eaters are working for you i hope they are working as well over in the states as they are in australia we are catching a lot of beetle here love some feed back thanks aj

[sc-bee]

Any way we could see a picture of your hive w/ a trap set up with mat in place. I have been covering the trap area w/floor covering w/fair success.

Trap was in about five days or so:

[summer1052]

AJ, the traps are great!!

I had a hive which had larvae in it, to the point I had to freeze 3 frames and return them. I got your traps, "vinyl" shelf cover, and put them out.

I see maybe one or two beetles in the hive now, and 6-12 in the trap routinely. I think they are great.

Now, if you could only do something about wax moths for me . . .

Summer

[ajs beetle eater]

hi if you look in the bee culture magazine you can see the mat in my add ajs beetle eater this mat is large i have three beetle eaters in my hive you may not need one as large thanks aj

[Troy]

I am not getting results like summer.

I put out ten of these traps in one apiary that has pretty heavy beetle infestation. I am seeing in some cases hundreds, but at least 2 beetles in every hive I open, but when I dump out the oil in AJ's trap, there is only a few beetles in each one.

In fact the beetles seem to like to hide in the area under the vinyl, right next to the entrance to the trap, but they don't seem to go in very often.

I was thinking maybe some types of oil are better than others. Or maybe I should put something else in there, like a few grains of pollen or something.

Summer, what kind of oil did you use to get the results you showed in your picture?

What about using used fryer oil? Maybe they'd like that better.

[sc-bee]

I'm having same problem!

[Beaches' Bee-Haven Apiary]

The beetles fill up the traps fast in most cases. So if your seeing beetles scurrying out they were probably just hiding on top of the dead beetles which decompose in the oil and create quite the laying and breeding ground for larva. Next year I'll be making a point of checking and emptying my traps one a week whule there in the hives.

-Nathanael

[sc-bee]

Mine Ain't trapping ---- the hive has now collapsed!

[Troy]

Beaches,, Nope that's not it. There was plenty of oil in there and only like 3 to 7 SHB.

They must not like the smell.

What can I do to get them to go in there, so they'll drown. I used canola oil.

Should I try olive oil? Something else?

[Beaches' Bee-Haven Apiary]

Pure olive oil fresh from the Mediterranean, literally shipped (with a ship) non-stop so it arrives at your door no older than a month! The beetles will go for that stuff!!

Seriously, though, I think I was using vegetable oil. The biggest trick was placing the traps in the right spot. There tend to be areas in the hive were the beetles congregate (or the bees congregate them) and it takes a while to hit that sweet spot. Once you've found it they fill up fast! Those congregation areas tend to be along the tops of the frames and edges of the super (not necessarily in the corners), usually the uppermost super, or any super with any amount of unguarded space. That's why aj's traps are easier to get results with than Hood's. Right now as the weather cools, the beetles start nesting with the bees and you'll see a decrease in reproduction (a decrease in population doesn't start until late winter, but then its rather a dramatic drop), so I've found that the traps don't work as well during the late fall/winter season.

sc-bee, sorry to here about the loss. I had added an additional super to one of my hives a little over a month ago, only to go into it a week later and find a SHB takeover... We seriously need to find a substantial answer to this problem.

-Nathanael

[sc-bee]

Hundreds of beetles under trap mat--- only a dozen or so in trap???