oil traps are my favorite down here. crush what you can with your hive tool during inspections, but I don't make special trips to the hive to do so. SHB fly in so one week or one year old hives- I don't think SHB care. In my observation- if you can still count the SHB, it isn't a mojor problem. Once you have more than you can easily count, you've crossed a threshold. Keep strong hives, keep the 'real estate' covered and SHB are there, but not a major issue, in my opinion

 

It's never too early for small hive beetles. The beetles themselves aren't really a big deal. It's their larva that eats comb and leaves your hive a sticky, gooey, stinky, utterly destroyed, mess. If you keep a strong hive, then your bees will keep the beetles herded into a corner somewhere and will kill any larva that hatches. However, it is good to keep SHB numbers at bay. Oil traps work well, but are messy. The better beetle barn works very well, but is not legal for use everywhere. Just check out the pest control section of any of the bee suppliers websites to find a solution.

If they looked anything like the picture in the link below, then congratulations! you have small hive beetles.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/images/docs/18993_19188/index.1.jpg

 

SHB are very common here. Don't know bout your parts tho. But one way to deal with them is an oil tray bottom board. The easiest , however, is something like the disposable Beetle Blaster. Insert into the brood box after filling with oil.

 

I had them in my hives last year but they were never a problem. Looks like the cold winter knocked them out as I haven't seen any this year. Saw the last few dead ones when I first put the pollen patties on in Feb. Put it on top of the top box--a box above from the cluster. Bees would eat during warm days and retreat at night leaving the few hive beetles to freeze. When it warmed up a little more and they really started to raise brood they moved up under the patty but I never saw another beetle. Removed the patties (half eaten) the first week of April when pollen really started to come in heavy and the pears bloomed--didn't see one beetle (and they love pollen patties).

The only hive beetle I saw this year is in a hive from a GA package--saw it 2 days after install. Bottom line, if you keep a strong hive and we have a cold winter again next year the problem will take care of itself.

 

I heard that they can sense a hive from 10 miles away, so there's really no escaping them. A strong hive with just enough room that they're not crowded is the best defense. The other weapons are good, too. Also, they don't like light, so I have my hives in full sun. Not much of a SHB problem here yet.

 

I'm in SW Pennsylvania and was wondering if the SHB are in our state. :scratch: I just installed 2 nucs the other day that were from Florida.
Tanya

 

Our state apiarist said SHB were everywhere in the US now. Probably worse in some parts of the country though. Remain vigilant.

 

You may of had a hitch hiker or two but I think this is one case where the colder winters are an asset. Think it was cold enough here to knock them out last winter so in Latrobe I'm sure they would have had a hard time overwintering.

Would be willing to bet they come back every year, though, w/ the yearly shipment of packages and nucs from the south--especially those from the smaller, less known, outfits (read "cheaper"). They were really found here for the first time last year after that really warm winter that didn't provide the usual culling of the population.

 

They always find my hives. They have been in three different states now. I use those disposable oil traps one in each super. But don't spill the oil it will kill the bees that get in it. You are supposed to use guard star also but I never fooled with it.

 

"I heard that they can sense a hive from 10 miles away, so there's really no escaping them."
can you remember where you saw this? thanks

 

Our state apiarist made that statement last week at our meeting.

 

I had no idea they had traveled so far north and have no experience in controlling them. So I'll check out what people have said on this list.
Thanks for the input.
Tanya

 

Travel? In Hawaii they first arrived on the Big Island in 2010. Since then they have gotten to several other islands. The last, Kauai, is 50 miles away from Oahu. We also have strict restrictions on moving bees interisland, yet somehow these beetles have spread across the islands.

I think they travel well, at least in warm weather.

 

"I heard that they can sense a hive from 10 miles away, so there's really no escaping them."

Slow Modem - can you find this quote? Thanks

 

Thanks!