SHB - Northern Extent Question

[c10250]

I have seen SHB in Northern Illinois. However, the hive I seen it in was made from bees brought back from almonds.

I was wondering, what's the farthest north you guys have seen SHB from bees that were overwintered in the north and no new hives being introduced to the yard.

For example, if I overwinter 3 hives, and move a fourth hive to the yard in the spring that was from, say, Florida, I would expect to see SHB that summer. If all four hives are overwintered, and no new hive was introduced in the spring, I would hope to see no SHB the next year.

I was wondering if a lot of northern beeks who have SHB problems, have them because of where their bees have been, and not because of SHB existing naturally in the area.

Those who say "I have SHB and am from up North" may have the problem because they keep bringing in bees from the south.

[DC Bees]

I bought three packages two years ago and they had SHB in with them.I killed the ones i saw and haven't had a problem.I will say that i am done buying packages.Over wintering nucs are the way to go once you are able.

[AstroBee]

They are in Michigan for sure.

[Peter]

I just read an article on restriction of transportation of bees from Quebec into New Brunswick because of reported shb finds in some hives in southern Quebec.
As the importation of bees from the south is severly restricted that would kind of point to the beatles overwintering in QC.

[rainesridgefarm]

small hive beetles will start to lay eggs when the outside temps get aournd 70 degrees. They will live around and in the winter cluster in northern states. In the south they have 3.5 life cycles of eggs, larva, adult per year. In the northern states with our cold winters we only have 1 maybe 1.5 cycles per year so they do not grow as fast up here. But they will live through the winter in the overwintered hives but not as succesfully as in the south.

[c10250]

OK, so DC Bees basically says that, "I saw SHB when I got my bees, but I haven't seen them after the first year".

I haven't seen a statement from a northern beek like "I see them every year, and I don't bring in any bees from the south".

[NDnewbeek]

I see a couple every year in at least a few of my hives - and I overwinter in ND. I never see them in the spring or early summer, always in the late summer or fall. I am sure that they are dispersing to my hives from the commercial hives that come back from almonds. But, they never make it through the winter.

[Adam Foster Collins]

I just read an article on restriction of transportation of bees from Quebec into New Brunswick because of reported shb finds in some hives in southern Quebec.
As the importation of bees from the south is severly restricted that would kind of point to the beatles overwintering in QC.

Canada imports a lot of bees from other countries. Here in Nova Scotia, we have had shb scares the last two years, as shb was discovered in shipments from Hawaii. We're not really seeing them in our hives yet here.

Adam

[delber]

This year I only bought a queen that was from the south. There were no SHB in there, and yet I had a small problem also. Thankfully I saw it quick enough and froze the frames that had larva on them and took care of the problem. I did see them every time I opened them up this past summer. We'll see when I open them up for the first time this year. I plan on doing a full inspection in the next few weeks as weather allows.

[DC Bees]

delber have you bought packages or nucs from the south before?Curious to where they came from,thanks.

[jmgi]

I am in southern Michigan and they have been in my hives the last couple years, I think they probably came with packages I bought originally. I saw one beetle already this year in an overwintered hive, it was on the inside of the inner cover. My hives are in full sun most of the day and are strong colonies so they don't become a problem, the bees usually keep them corraled on the inner cover area. John

[Katharina]

Is there a distribution map of SHB out there? We don't have them in Oregon yet, but I know they do exist in California. I just wonder how far they have made it up. I also wonder if they can live in the high dessert? We are at 4000 feet with very little rain or humidity. We don't even have ticks or fleas up here, while they have it only 1 hour away at 2000 ft elevation. What is the ideal climate for SHB?

[Acebird]

I have never bought a package and have SHB. I am told my queens originated from Hawaii. Once you have them I think you will always have them, just my thoughts. Unless you can kill every last one in the hive (including eggs). The SHB can fly up to 5 miles away so if your neighbor within 5 miles has or had SHB you can get them too. I see the SHB in the north more of a nuisance, right now anyway, for northern beeks rather than a major threat to the hive, similar to ants.

[sqkcrk]

Would you care to hear something from a commercial migratory beekeeper who sees few beetles in the hives in SC and in NY?

[Scrapfe]

... I also wonder if they can live in the high dessert? We are at 4000 feet with very little rain or humidity... What is the ideal climate for SHB?

To answer your last question first, SHB are a scavenger insect and as such I suspect that they don't have an ideal climate, or environment. I suspect that SHB are a lot like the humble opossum, living anywhere, everywhere, and however they are able.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...nge-of-the-SHB
The above thread mentions SHBs in Michigan 8 years ago.

So this follow up link is likely inaccurate (imho)

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...9QEwBw&dur=944


The SHB is supposed to be able to survive and breed in a supermarket trash dumpster by eating rotten fruit. It's native range is everywhere in Africa below the Sahara desert. This includes low lying jungle, high rain forest, deserts, high savanna, brush etc. So I 'spect' SHB can make a living in your neck of the woods. I just don't think that Mr & Mrs SHB will be living the life of Riley in your neighborhood.

SHBs live like buzzards do, by waiting on the sideline for 'sumpten' to die. (or get weak)
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=buzza...:429,r:3,s:242

Lot of good information on bee pest here:
http://www.ent.uga.edu/bees/research.html#article21

[Michael B]

I have not seen any in my overwintered colonies. I have seen a few in package 1st year hives but 10 or less beetles. Last August while cleaning out a swarm trap I had one fly and land on the table I was working on.

Not sure what the natural migration of SHB is. There has to be some sort of my they spread coverage zones beyond people shipping them all over the country.

[Acebird]

Would you care to hear something from a commercial migratory beekeeper who sees few beetles in the hives in SC and in NY?

Define few. Please.

[sqkcrk]

None. Or pretty close to none. I didn't notice any SHBs in hives in SC this last trip. I saw SHB in my hives once last Summer when they were in NY.

[adam@azapiaries]

Once, four years ago, I found SHB larvae in pollen substitue that I had put on the first of March. This was before any packages had come up from the South. I had found some adults in that yard the previous fall so they must have wintered. I see a few beetles (6-8 per coloney) here and there every year. I sometimes also find larvae in division board feeders in late Summer. I sell 1500 packages each year so am sure that the beetles come up with them. I also found adults in some nucs that I bought from Florida two years ago. There are a few other things of note; I regularly ask customers if they see SHB and only one other than me has seen any. This has to mean that beekeepers are not recognizing them. I can't be the only one that has ever had any. I also have found SHB in yards where I havn't installed packages or moved bees into it that season. This would indicate that the adults are flying in from other locations. Whenever I find adults, they are found on the inner cover possibly having been harassed by the bees and hanging on in the fringes. My conclusion is that a few must winter over here in CT, but the majority come up from the South in packages or nucs. I don't believe that they will be a serious problem in cold climates like CT as long as honey is not left around waiting to be extracted. A few beetles could make a mess if allowed to lay eggs in a stack of full honey supers.

[Michael Palmer]

Would you care to hear something from a commercial migratory beekeeper...?

Or a non-migratory one who has seen beetles in the past but none for several years....except one beetle in one yard where packages were brought in next door. they really don't winter here. They can't pupate in frozen ground, and I think the adults are too old to breed their second year.