[edric]

Hi guys, I opened up the hive today and between the telescoping top and the insulation top I found two small round black beetles in the corner, two bees were trying to run them off, so I gave them a hand and knocked them off the hive onto the lawn, is this a problem? thanks, Ed

 

[COAL REAPER]

kill them

 

[Ross]

Small Hive Beetle (SHB). Not good, but a strong hive can manage a few.

 

[robb2k]

I'm seeing more and more lately. Time to take more action than just the beetle blasters. I'm making a bottom board with a oil reservoir under it to catch them. Hopefully that helps.

 

[edric]

Thanks guys, a question, I was told to put the top of the hive on an angle for ventilation, but this leave a gap at one end, so anything that small can just walk right in, is this risk not worth the benefit of the ventilation it provides? thanks again, Ed

 

[Satch]

They come in the front door so keep the ventilation going.

 

[philip.devos]

These are very likely small hive beetles (SHB). The best thing you can do to control them is to make sure that wherever there is drawn comb with either brood or stores (honey & pollen) there are a lot of bees. As long as there are plenty of bees running around the SHB's will be under control.

Two years ago I lost some frames of honey in a super where there were only a few bees, not enough to corrall the SHB's. The SHB's laid eggs, the eggs hatched into small white worms (about 3/8 inch long), and slimed the frames. There are traps available to trap the beetles, but if you make sure that the hive is slightly crowded with bees, traps will not be necessary.

Phil

 

[edric]

Thanks guys, Ed

 

[Eikel]

i don't mean to highjack the thread but I've watched bees chase and attempt to kill SHBs but never realisticlly seen one killed. Can the bees actually kill the beetles? Assuming they do, do they use their mandibles or stinger?

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

There are traps available to trap the beetles, but if you make sure that the hive is slightly crowded with bees, traps will not be necessary.

That may be true in Maryland, but that was NOT my experience in Florida. There I kept oil pans on every hive and kept them in full sun. Anything less and the beetles tried to take over. I suspect it is because Florida does not have a true winter to kill off the beetles pupating in the ground. But, whatever the reason, SHBs in Florida can take down a healthy hive in under a week.

JMO


Rusty

 

[Santa Caras]

That may be true in Maryland, but that was NOT my experience in Florida. There I kept oil pans on every hive and kept them in full sun. Anything less and the beetles tried to take over. I suspect it is because Florida does not have a true winter to kill off the beetles pupating in the ground. But, whatever the reason, SHBs in Florida can take down a healthy hive in under a week.

JMO


Rusty

JMO....mine too! First year beek and SHB have become a priority for me. I basically live in a forest and they are EVERYWHERE!! Went from a straight SBB to a combo with an oil tray. The oil trays that fit tween the frames do good too. I've had just one in the top box of a hive and within a few days it was filled with probably 40-60 SHB. I plan on ordering another dozen now to fit one or two in each box brood or super. I've tried the ...I call em Beetle Hotels cuz they work like the roach ones...lil poisen in the middle and supposedlly the SHB get in there and die but I've had em on there for weeks and havent seen any dead ones. Not sure if it really works or not. That and my trusty hive tool to make SHB Mush.
A 1000 hive commercial guy here locally uses something called TriStar (think thats the name) that he sprays underneath the hives to kill the larva before they pupate. Havent looked into it but he swears by it.