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Author Topic: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.  (Read 3329 times)

Offline van from Arkansas

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Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« on: August 02, 2019, 04:37:55 pm »
This year is worse than previous years for the small hive beetle, SHB, is very plentiful in Northern Arkansas.  I am finding approx 20 beetles per hive.  Most of my hives are strong and the bees do a good job of confining the beetles to a beetle jail.  The beetle jails mostly are in the top corner and confined to a tight one square inch area.  However, when I open the hives, the beetles INSTANTLY scatter in all directions and the race is on for me to kill every single beetle using freeze spray.  A few always seem to escape and so far only a single nuc has been affected with SHB larva sliming 3 frames which I bagged and froze.

I employ screened bottom boards #8 wire with diatomaceous earth on the bottom tray in part for SHB control.   I will have to apply bait, pollen patty to the bottom cover to attract the beetles as this year the beetles are so numerous.

Any body else having issues with SHB?
Cheers
Van
« Last Edit: August 04, 2019, 05:58:16 pm by van from Arkansas »
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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline ed/La.

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2019, 04:49:07 pm »
I had no hive beetles issues last year but I do this year. Not as bad as you describe. I  also have a lot of wax moths this year.
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Offline The15thMember

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2019, 06:11:19 pm »
I too am having a much better year than last year where hive beetles go. I have really only seen any in my one hive, which had some uncovered comb due to being queenless like constantly this year. Hopefully the current queen will stick, or I?ll have to combine them going into winter.
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2019, 12:26:23 am »
Im seeing a few. Not nearly as many as last year and the problems I had, until Jim and Paus told me of sbb and oil pans. I have changed my mind after reading this topic. Instead of following your lead and switching from oil, moving to  diatomaceous earth on the bottom tray in part for SHB control, as I stated I would do a week or so ago, I will keep the oil pans. I am glad  that you posted this as I was sure to change, so appreciated. I hope you get the little pest under control soon.
Blessings
Phillip
« Last Edit: August 03, 2019, 09:24:49 am by Ben Framed »
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2019, 12:47:45 am »
Mr Van, the following may help you.

Quoting Jim May 9 this year.
''All it takes to have a bad year is to have one hive get totally slimed and the larvae  are allowed to crawl out of the hive and pupate. One hive can produce several thousand if not 10,000 SHBs. On more than one occasion I have had to pull out a large trash can, fill it full of soapy water and submerge all of the frames of a hive in it to kill all of the larvae. The larvae do not die easily. The frames have to be weighed down to keep them under water.
The SHBs can also reproduce in rotting fruit ''
Jim Altmiller
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2019, 02:20:55 am »
Ok, here you go. This video just came out 2 hours ago. Start at minute 5:00 for the hive beetle fix. If there is anyone here that has tried this, now would be the time to chime in and share your experience.
Phillip

https://youtu.be/PON8J9Mt9NM
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Nock

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2019, 09:08:12 am »
You beat me to it Phillip. I watched that this morning. Was going to post and ask the same question.
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2019, 09:19:50 am »
Quote from: Nock on August 03, 2019, 09:08:12 am
You beat me to it Phillip. I watched that this morning. Was going to post and ask the same question.

Looks promising doesn?t it Nock?  I would like to hear from someone here which has given it a fair try. When I say fair, I mean. Following instructions correctly. There must be no gaps anywhere between boxes, top, cracks or holes which a beetle can squirm it?s way in.  Nothing a little cheap calk can?t fix, rubbed (over the outside of any gap on the boxes. I would not recommend calk in between the boxes. For obvious reasons. I added that in between part as someone was sure to question and rightfully so. Also add a screen top board, (window screen), on the top box, which the top can rest on. A minimal amount of prevention, for such a promising beetle fix?
Phillip
« Last Edit: August 03, 2019, 10:04:10 am by Ben Framed »
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Nock

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #8 on: August 03, 2019, 12:38:05 pm »
It does. Like the concept. But like you said every other way in will have to be sealed.
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Offline CoolBees

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #9 on: August 03, 2019, 02:05:30 pm »
Sealing hive cracks - friend of mine uses duct tape all around his hives. Seals every possible crack with it. Makes inspections harder - but not too bad. Just peel it off, and re-tape when finished.

Wax moths are bad here this year.
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Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #10 on: August 03, 2019, 02:38:01 pm »
Yes Sir, Mr. Ben:

Jim, others and I have been battling hive beetles for years.  The small hive beetle is actually a sap beetle that infest bees as a secondary opportunity.  My area presents unique problems: ice storms create hollow trees for feral bees and squirrels and coon etc.  Trees with hollows are everywhere and feral bees seldom last in these hollows.

Here is my problem, all it takes is one feral hive in a hollow tree.  The larva drop from the wax frames to the bottom of the hollow, pupate INSIDE THE TREE and adults seeks out my hives.  One feral hive can produce overwhelming numbers of beetles.  I have trapped as many as twenty beetles in a single night in a single hive.  No telling how many beetles escaped my trap???  I have counted a beetle every 45 seconds approaching a hive in the evening, all told maybe a hundred beetles a night.  This was in 2017, my worst year for beetles.  2018 there were few beetles in comparison as the feral hive apparently died.

I will kill any beetle I see during inspections with freeze spray.  Very rarely does comb get slimed as I stay on top of the situation.  Slimed comb would be immediately removed, bagged and froze.

Thanks for the video from Barnyard Bees.

The feral hive will eventually die off and there is a sudden drop in beetle population.  For now, I have to make the rounds every morning to kill beetles, my nucs are most vulnerable and most attention is directed towards smaller hives.      ding dang beetles!!!!
Cheers
Van
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I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #11 on: August 03, 2019, 04:13:36 pm »
Quote from: van from Arkansas on August 03, 2019, 02:38:01 pm
Yes Sir, Mr. Ben:

Jim, others and I have been battling hive beetles for years.  The small hive beetle is actually a sap beetle that infest bees as a secondary opportunity.  My area presents unique problems: ice storms create hollow trees for feral bees and squirrels and coon etc.  Trees with hollows are everywhere and feral bees seldom last in these hollows.

Here is my problem, all it takes is one feral hive in a hollow tree.  The larva drop from the wax frames to the bottom of the hollow, pupate INSIDE THE TREE and adults seeks out my hives.  One feral hive can produce overwhelming numbers of beetles.  I have trapped as many as twenty beetles in a single night in a single hive.  No telling how many beetles escaped my trap???  I have counted a beetle every 45 seconds approaching a hive in the evening, all told maybe a hundred beetles a night.  This was in 2017, my worst year for beetles.  2018 there were few beetles in comparison as the feral hive apparently died.

I will kill any beetle I see during inspections with freeze spray.  Very rarely does comb get slimed as I stay on top of the situation.  Slimed comb would be immediately removed, bagged and froze.

Thanks for the video from Barnyard Bees.

The feral hive will eventually die off and there is a sudden drop in beetle population.  For now, I have to make the rounds every morning to kill beetles, my nucs are most vulnerable and most attention is directed towards smaller hives.      ding dang beetles!!!!
Cheers
Van

Thank you Mr Van, the SHB are a blight on us beekeepers in certain areas for sure. AS you say, ''ding dang beetles!!!!'' I am sorry the first one ever touched our soil, no matter how they may have arrived.  We must keep up the fight and do the best we can. I do not want to put you in a trick bag, but I will ask you honest opinion as you are a seasoned beekeeper and a scientist, so I will ask. What is you opinion of the Guardian beetle anti-entrance tool, from what you have seen? I do not have a dog in this hunt except fighting the same fight as you and my other fellow beekeepers. David really is high on this and he has taught me a lot about beekeeping. This helps my optimism toward this tool. only time will tell?
Thanks, Phillip 
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #12 on: August 03, 2019, 04:30:10 pm »
This is another quick  (43 second) video showing this product in action.

https://youtu.be/VY1lelqG-4E
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #13 on: August 03, 2019, 04:40:15 pm »
Mr Van You are a scientist, I am very pleased to have you here and honored. I will ask you a what if question, What if, someone were to catch X number of hive beetles, mark them as a queen and simply turn them loose at the entrance of a hive and wait a reasonable amount of time, vacuum up all beetles left on the outside opening; then and only then, opening the hive in a secured area where no beetles can come or leave the experiment area, and simply search for beetles inside the hive, especially looking for marked beetles? Wouldn't this tell where Molly hid the peaches on this product, the Guardian?
Thanks, Phillip
« Last Edit: August 03, 2019, 06:33:12 pm by Ben Framed »
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Bob Wilson

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #14 on: August 03, 2019, 10:29:24 pm »
I consider the work I am doing to build in beetle traps into my next hive, when I could just add these to the entrance. However, living in Georgia, I suppose I should put the guards in the entrance AND add traps inside.
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Offline FloridaGardener

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #15 on: August 03, 2019, 10:34:05 pm »
I'm not convinced that the gadget is both a robbing screen and beetle blocker. 
     Isn't it better to contain/drown/squish beetles so they don't head elsewhere and propagate?

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Online Ben Framed

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #16 on: August 03, 2019, 11:34:16 pm »
Quote from: FloridaGardener on August 03, 2019, 10:34:05 pm
I'm not convinced that the gadget is both a robbing screen and beetle blocker. 
     Isn't it better to contain/drown/squish beetles so they don't head elsewhere and propagate?

Good points FG. I'm not convinced of either, yet,.....  The robbing screen part does not concern me as much as my hopes that it is effective as a beetle blockade.
And you are right, the less beetles in the world the better, however, and here I go with a however. :cheesy:

If we can block the beetles form entering our hives borders, everyone of our hives, at least they will not be making forward progress at our, or our hard working bees expense. This has to be a plus?  No free meal at your place or mine and no free boarding; bed and breakfast it you will. A border fence if you will.  No more uninvited entering by these pest would be a relief for we beekeepers as well as a burden lifted for our hardworking bees. I just hope these things work.
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Beeboy01

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #17 on: August 03, 2019, 11:36:04 pm »
I had a run in with SHB's back in June. Lost two small hives to them and had the trays under the screened bottoms board fill up with hundreds of larva which got tossed into a hot smoker which really stunk up the bee yard. I'm using the Yardstar ground drench to break the SHB life cycle and still am getting five or six in each hive during inspections. It's been raining and really wet in my area over the last two weeks which is weather the SHB love so I need to keep my guard up and hives strong.
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #18 on: August 03, 2019, 11:39:10 pm »
Quote from: bobll on August 03, 2019, 10:29:24 pm
I consider the work I am doing to build in beetle traps into my next hive, when I could just add these to the entrance. However, living in Georgia, I suppose I should put the guards in the entrance AND add traps inside.

I know what you mean bobil, anything we build takes time and effort. I sure would like to have about 20 of these and report back the results to everyone here. I don't know where to find these or the cost as I have not investigated this further as of yet.
Phillip
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: Small Hive Beetle; having to battle: this year, beetles are plentiful.
« Reply #19 on: August 04, 2019, 12:33:23 am »
Quote from: Beeboy01 on August 03, 2019, 11:36:04 pm
I had a run in with SHB's back in June. Lost two small hives to them and had the trays under the screened bottoms board fill up with hundreds of larva which got tossed into a hot smoker which really stunk up the bee yard. I'm using the Yardstar ground drench to break the SHB life cycle and still am getting five or six in each hive during inspections. It's been raining and really wet in my area over the last two weeks which is weather the SHB love so I need to keep my guard up and hives strong.


BB01
I would like to ask you, did you have anything in your trays, such as D Earth or oil. Or were they empty trays. I hope you get these rascals under control ... 
Thanks Phillip
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2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
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