[Malone]

What are some good ways to combat SHB in a top bar hive. Not a big problem now but would like to make sure it doesn’t become one

 

[Absinthe]

Crazy hot hive! If the queen is making lots of bees, and they are very busy they will keep the SHB at bay. Swiffer sheets, flanel backed table cloths, and other foot tangling paper towels work placed on the tops of bars. The cd case traps, either with a bait checked regularly and emptied outside the hive or with legal appropriate baits should work as well. If they fit the between the bars beetle traps should work with them too.

You can also consider nematodes in your yard to kill them in the soil.

I think if you are seeing problems with them you need to take multiple prong attacks like with any other pest. These are general suggestions rather than Top bar specific. I assume there might be some kind of way to use the screened bottom board with the oil traps (Freeman) may or may not be appropriate to TBH and they are really effective if you can use them either with oil, soapy water, or DE.

SHB really suck, but I never had much trouble as long as the hive was busy and active.

 

[Malone]

Not seeing any on the bars mainly in the bottom of the hive right now. I have a bottom screen in place with a hinged bottom board below. That is where I am seeing them mainly

 

[Absinthe]

Hive tool makes easy work of them If they can fall through the screen oil or DE pan below it works a dream.

 

[ruthiesbees]

I like to use diatomaceous earth on the solid IPM board underneath the screened bottom of the hive. any beetles that fall through will die in the dust. To encourage "housekeeping", I powder sugar each comb of bees and more SHB seem to get cleaned out that way

 

[ursa_minor]

Ruth, how often do you use the powdered sugar?

 

[ruthiesbees]

Ruth, how often do you use the powdered sugar?

I do it in each hive every month that I can work the bees. If I ever notice deformed wings on emerging bees, then I step it up to weekly for 4 weeks.

 

[ursa_minor]

Thanks Ruth, I will do that.