SHB Anonymous

2224 Views 8 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Intheswamp, Aug 6, 2014

USMCEOD

Discussion Starter · Aug 5, 2014 (Edited)

Hi my name is ___________ and I'm addicted to crushing Small Hive Beetles.

They say the first step to recovery is to admit you have a problem... I had one hive get slimed this year I was able to save the bees after breaking the hive down and combining with a queenless hive. But, since then I have really enjoyed crushing the little pests. I started using a top vent box in stead of an inner cover and seems to cut down on the number of beetles getting into the hive.

Here's my new trick, probably not a revelation, but when you open the hive... before you move any frames, look and the ends of the top frame bars. Usually, there will be some beetles trapped in little jails of propolis.. CRUSH them before they have a chance to run. Then when you get to the bottom board look in the back corners the bees have some corraled and you can CRUSH them too.

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Intheswamp

· #2 · Aug 5, 2014

Keep at'em, Andy. Once on the scene they are relentless.

How has the beelte population been for you this year? More or less than last year?

Got a picture of your vented top box?

Best wishes,
Ed

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Hops Brewster

· #3 · Aug 5, 2014

Do you ever don veil and open a hive, just so you can crush beetles?
Do you ever crush beetles on weekdays?
Have you ever postponed or cancelled time with your spouse, so you could crush beetles?
Do you get a mild euphoric feeling when simply thinking about beetle crushing?
Do you dream about crushing beetles?

If you answered 'yes' to any or all of these questio0ns, you may need SHBA

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seapro220

· #4 · Aug 5, 2014

I found this while reading an interesting article the other day, and kept it to paste around my apirary.

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Michael Bush

· #5 · Aug 5, 2014

I feel cheated. I've only ever seen one or two in my hives and they were too fast to crush... I've never crushed a small hive beetle... on the other hand, maybe that's ok...

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wildbranch2007

· #6 · Aug 5, 2014

with all the traps out there that I have tried that are not worth anything, the best I have found are inline feeders that I make with two floats in them, after the feed is empty the bees stick the floats to the bottom of the feeder. when you come to refill the feeder you can't get the bees out of the feeder using smoke, they look like they are at a track meet running around. use your hive tool to dislodge the floats, pull the feeder and turn it upside down and shake out the bees on top of an outer cover, have hive tool ready, my record so far is 40 shb in one feeder, would have been better but some flew away.

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USMCEOD

Discussion Starter · #7 · Aug 5, 2014

Here's a couple of pictures of the vent box, I saw something similar on Youtube. It helps with the bearding and fanning. I can set it up to feed through or put some insulation boards on top.. still working on how big the open area in the middle needs to be seems some hives like it to be more open and some try to close it with propolis, if this starts I put a board over to close it up some. The outside screen is window screen and and the inside is 8 mesh. I'm using Screened bottom boards and reducing the entrance to about 3 inches.

Bee Insect Membrane-winged insect Honeybee Apiary

It's still an experiment, but seems to be working

I have a few beetles, I wouldn't say I'm over run with them, but I had a hive swarm and they didn't replace queen so we had a failure on that one. I replace the queen but by that time, it was not doing much better. so I saved what I could and combined with another hive and they are doing well now.

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USMCEOD

Discussion Starter · #8 · Aug 5, 2014

Michael Bush said:
I feel cheated. I've never crushed a small hive beetle....

Well sir, if you are ever down this way, I can help you out... just have your favorite hive tool 'at the ready'...

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Intheswamp

· #9 · Aug 6, 2014

...and do you get the feeling that the bees are cheering you on when you squash one...like a big yell goes up when they see you pressure test one????

Hops Brewster said:
...

If you answered 'yes' to any or all of these questio0ns, you may need SHBA

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