SHB in NE Ohio?
Any folks from my area of the country finding SHB this year? I got a rude surprise when I found three larvae on my SBB insert last night. Thought I saw a little brown beetle scurry around when I was checking my hive over the weekend but it disappeared before I had a good look and we've had absolutely no indication of SHB here before now.
I know that they have them much further north in Michigan, but before you get too concerned, I'd make sure you have correctly ID'd the beetle in question. Here's a good publication with great pics.
http://www.wasba.org/SHB.pdf
Yep. Like I said, didn't get a real good look at the adults but I got the three larvae in a clear container. Been around enough waxworms to see there was something different about these guys. They didn't look as "soft" as a waxworm. Those two little spikey protrusions on the tail end kinda nailed it for me.
Spoke to the folks at Queen Right just south of here in Spencer. Guess they've been around - most noticeably in Oberlin (a little west of us). I just haven't had them (seen them) until now.
You probably have them. Anybody that buys packages or nucs, or lives anywhere a migratory beekeeper might drive near will have them. And I'm certain they overwinter in the hives.
I have them and I'm north of you.
They aren't as much of a problem here where it freezes good all winter long. As long as they hives are reasonably strong, and you don't leave pollen filled frames laying around they shouldn't be more than an annoyance.
Rick
I know they found some in medina last year. I don't know exactly how close that is to you though.
Just south of us - about 40 min drive. Close enough.Originally Posted by jdpro5010
I know they found some in medina last year. I don't know exactly how close that is to you though.
Thanks Rick. That's what the Queen Right folks said too - Don't worry much now but be prepared in the spring.
We don't keep frames full of anything around outside the hives but I am struggling with one weak colony that just got queen-right about two weeks ago. She's laying like a demon and I'm hoping to nurse them through the winter. They have some good stored honey but just barely enough girls to keep the brood warm. I'm afraid, given the chance, the SHB might get into these full frames. The larvae I found didn't come from this colony though.
I was looking at getting some AJ traps to at least keep on top of it but I don't know if they'll be of much use in the winter.
At least moth larva are big enough to make a fishing trip with. Blasted beetle larva are useless!!
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." Winston Churchill
I was wondering about that...gonna be doing some steelheading in Erie on Monday. Nuts.At least moth larva are big enough to make a fishing trip with. Blasted beetle larva are useless!!
dch
PLEASE KEEP THE BEETLE EATERS IN YOUR HIVES THROUGH WINTER AS I HAVE TRAPPED 8000 SHB IN 11 MONTHS OUT OF 4 HIVES DO NOT THINK THE BEETLE CANNOT BE TRAPPED THROUGH WINTER KEEP ON THEM GUYS THANKS AJ
DCH,
you will quickly find out that the beetles are of little concern to the northern beekeeper. You will see a few here and there, but like the wax moth, if you keep good hives, they do almost NO damage. And if they do, it is on par with wax moths, as they only take out very weak or dying colonies.
I do lots of wax foundation and natural comb for customers. But if it matters little to you, use pierco plastic foundation. At least you will know if any damage does happen, you can scrape down the bad comb areas and not lose anything.
I have been helping a couple beekeepers in apple migratory areas for about 5 years now, and although the SHB has been around for 5 years, little to no damage is seen. But there is a difference in what type bees you have. Some handle the SHB better. I have heard different down south where they perhaps overwhelm all types of bees. But in the north, genetics plays a bigger part.
And with all I said, no year round traps are needed.
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