Small hive beetle ?

I believe they're most active at night.

The only time I see them is in the evening, about the last hour or two of daylight. I will go the whole day and not see a single beetle and then see a dozen fly in right before dark. I am trying Beetlejails entrance trap this year on a couple of my hives, so far they seem to be working well.

That's when I saw them was about the last hour of light.
Larry where do you get the jails? Also are they made to catch them as they are entering the hives?Mark,,,,,

The SHB love fields of rotting cantelopes, watermellons, and sweet potatoes. Probably other things too, but these I have observed. When these rotting fruits are tilled in, hives in the near vicinty can be in real and sudden danger of being overwhelmed.

I do not know how to do a link, but Beetle Jail has a website also a youtube video on there traps. I am not sureI would want to put one on a hive that had been going for awhile, it might confuse the bees. I put 2 on some new nucs this year and they are catching beetles. Yes, they catch them before they enter the hive. If you only have 2 or 3 hives and have shb problem it might be something to try out. I have only been using them for a few days so a little too early to say for sure how well they work, but so far I like them. If you do a youtube search on Beetlejail entrance trap you can watch there videos. The only thing some people may not like is that it does reduce the entrance some, not a problem for me however.

http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Beetle-Jail/productinfo/647B/

This is what I am currently using. Appears to be effective with normal infestations. Does require checking periodically and refilling with canola oil.

Yep, late in the evening is the only time I've ever saw one out side the hive flying around. They just fly right in like they own the place.

It's hard to imagine that someone hasn't invented a "outside the hive" trap to catch these pests. There may be one available, but I have yet to find it. Looks like they could make a pheremone trap to lure them in. I have yet to have much of a problem but I would like to have no problem with them.

Brad Bee said:

It's hard to imagine that someone hasn't invented a "outside the hive" trap to catch these pests. There may be one available, but I have yet to find it. Looks like they could make a pheremone trap to lure them in. I have yet to have much of a problem but I would like to have no problem with them.

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Brought this back up,Because I'm gone during the week,Anyway Brad I've been thinking the same thing,That is why I was asking about what time of day they mostly fly.Also HPM was saying about the watermelons & things drawing them.Then I remembered that is where I seen them before.
Strange thing is I've seen them around for years (I think),But not until afew years ago in a bee hive.
Wonder what gives with that?
So Brad lets get rich & build something for the outside.LOL.Mark,,,,,

I just saw something small on the landing pad, the bees ignored it, walked closer and yes I think it was a hive beetle. They are much bigger than I imagined. RATS! It's almost dark...guess I had better flip over the solid plastic tray and use it. Live and learn. How dare they find the hives so quickly! I removed the pollen patty the second day just to try and eliminate some of the possibility. Grabbing the oil on the way out the door -

After reviewing my video, this beetle was blown on the landing board with all the winds today. I should have stuck it to masking tape and saved it to observe it more closely instead of flicking it off.