"Bill,
Most of the time if the hive has enough bees to cover the drawn comb, they can protect the hive. If the beekeeper is inspecting the hive too much, then SHB's can take over. "
[nodding]
Ye olde "repel all villians with cutlass and musket" strategy, Sawdust :-)
Being a newcomer to this localised 'zone' of North Queensland I am now on
my toes, looking, having never seen SHB myself in one of my colonies
in many a year since first reported here - 2009 if I recall correctly.
That isolation has kept me ignorant of such things and their effects.
Got quite a lot to catch up on.
Call me weird but I find this necessity refreshing :-))
Cheers.
Bill