Are you sure it's SHB larvae and not wax moth.Wax moth larvae are not uncommon on screened BB inserts.
Google SHB vs wax moth larvae and click images for comparison pictures.
Google SHB vs wax moth larvae and click images for comparison pictures.
Small Hive Beetle Test
I'm a new bee keeper with one weak hive that I took over from someone else this summer, and have had some mild but steady hive beetle issues. I can't even really find the beetles themselves within the hive, other than occasionally spotting one, but I do catch larva on my slide out board beneath the screen. I've been experimenting with a couple of different fairly non-invasive treatments for them as I'm trying not to harm the hive any as its rebuilding.
Anyhow, I picked up some hydrated lime, as well as some dia-earth that I had spread around the hive in a radius of roughly 8ft, but haven't really seen any decline in the amount of larva. So I captured a number of live larva, and put them into two jars, one with dia-earth, and the other with the lime powder. Currently I am two and a half days into that little experiment and there are still living beetle larva in both... is this typical..? I was always under the impression that the time-to-kill was much lower than that?
Anyone have any thoughts on that? Or perhaps some other things I should try out?
EDIT: I am located in southern minnesota. My hive was destroyed in July and the queen was replaced and accepted on August 2nd.
Anyhow, I picked up some hydrated lime, as well as some dia-earth that I had spread around the hive in a radius of roughly 8ft, but haven't really seen any decline in the amount of larva. So I captured a number of live larva, and put them into two jars, one with dia-earth, and the other with the lime powder. Currently I am two and a half days into that little experiment and there are still living beetle larva in both... is this typical..? I was always under the impression that the time-to-kill was much lower than that?
Anyone have any thoughts on that? Or perhaps some other things I should try out?
EDIT: I am located in southern minnesota. My hive was destroyed in July and the queen was replaced and accepted on August 2nd.
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Beezter, I realize you have seen a few, one other thing you can do is to place a box of frames inside an upturned cover, let it sit for 5-10 minutes. The small hive Beatles should go to the upturned cover. When you pick the box up to put it back on the hive you will get an idea of how bad the small hive beetle infestation is. Have you considered any of the beetle traps?
You may want to go to your profile and add your location. Managing shb is different for many areas.
Positive they're small hive beetles, I googled the difference in larva and saw the beetles have more of a spiney larva. Hopefully I'm correct in that? I've also caught several of the beetles.Are you sure it's SHB larvae and not wax moth.Wax moth larvae are not uncommon on screened BB inserts.
Google SHB vs wax moth larvae and click images for comparison pictures.
@beemandan - Thank you! I just updated that info. I am in Southern Minnesota.
I'll try that today.Beezter, I realize you have seen a few, one other thing you can do is to place a box of frames inside an upturned cover, let it sit for 5-10 minutes. The small hive Beatles should go to the upturned cover. When you pick the box up to put it back on the hive you will get an idea of how bad the small hive beetle infestation is. Have you considered any of the beetle traps?
I did try a CD case trap but didn't catch anything in there. I can tell that the beetles are only able to lay their eggs in between two of the frames where the bees built between the frames rather than on the foundation. I haven't wanted to adjust that because the hive is weak at the moment since the queen was just replaced august 1st.
Isn't it weird for the larva to survive in lime/dia earth for this long?
What also helps is to match the number of bees to the hive size.That gives the bees less area to patrol.
Reduce to a single box or, if5 frames or less, into a nuc box.
Also,best if hive is in full sun.
Reduce to a single box or, if5 frames or less, into a nuc box.
Also,best if hive is in full sun.
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