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Author Topic: Small Hive Beetle!  (Read 3522 times)

Offline Matt J

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Small Hive Beetle!
« on: July 09, 2016, 12:50:26 pm »
Yesterday I opened a hive and found 50+ beetles scurrying around the inner cover. This has been a strong hive that needed a 3rd medium box added.  Ever since I added that box, the beetles have exploded.  Happens every time I add one.  I have not seen many in the actual combs, but lots in the beetle blasters and on the inner cover and bottom board.  I have beetle blasters in every box right now and they are catching a lot of beetles, but there are still lots roaming free.  My hives are located in an area that gets about 50/50 sun/shade, but I don't have a better place to put them.  I am considering biting the bullet for some Freeman Beetle traps.  Its just depressing knowing that every time I have to add a box, the beetle population goes through the roof.  Just don't really know if I should be as worried as I am since they are mostly being kept away from the combs.  I feel like I am doing all I can, to no avail! I may start opening the lid every day and having a squash fest!  Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Offline Culley

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Re: Small Hive Beetle!
« Reply #1 on: July 09, 2016, 09:29:47 pm »
In Australia we use Apithor.

My advice is to monitor all your hives right now, especially the weaker ones.

Offline Joe D

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Re: Small Hive Beetle!
« Reply #2 on: July 09, 2016, 11:29:49 pm »
I take DVD cases, put a dab of butter flavored Crisco in the center, and put a line of Fipronil around it, about half way between outside edge and Crisco.  Put some of these on top of your inter cover.  The bees will over time fill up the wholes where the SHB's go in, so you will have to keep them open and empty the case from time to time.  You can get it at some dollar store, Bills.  It is Combat for roaches.

Good luck to you and your bees.

Joe D

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Small Hive Beetle!
« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2016, 10:10:07 am »
Matt,
I have lots and lots of beetles here in N FL. As long as the hives are strong, the bees can handle them.
A couple of years ago, I had a very large hive in full sun that one day had over 300 SHB's in the dry oil tray. This is a sign that this hive was stressed, probably ready to swarm.
The beetles smell the stress and are drawn to it.  Oil trays with oil kills SHB's by the thousands. Just make sure the bees cannot get in them.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Offline cao

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Re: Small Hive Beetle!
« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2016, 10:50:39 am »
Is it just the one hive or all of your hives?  I have one hive this year that seems to be a beetle magnet.  I checked my hives yesterday and saw maybe 2 or 3 beetles in any of my hives, except for the magnet.  I saw at least 30 in it.  Fortunately I have a screen bottom board with an oil pan on it that I can fill when the beetles get bad.  Most of the time the pans are dry.  As sawdstmakr said oil pans below a screen bottom board will kill lots of SHBs.

Offline Matt J

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Re: Small Hive Beetle!
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2016, 10:59:33 am »
Is it just the one hive or all of your hives?  I have one hive this year that seems to be a beetle magnet.  I checked my hives yesterday and saw maybe 2 or 3 beetles in any of my hives, except for the magnet.  I saw at least 30 in it.  Fortunately I have a screen bottom board with an oil pan on it that I can fill when the beetles get bad.  Most of the time the pans are dry.  As sawdstmakr said oil pans below a screen bottom board will kill lots of SHBs.

I only have 2 hives, but one seems worse than the other.  But the other is just one medium box with a lot of bees. I just added the second story to that hive, so I fully expect to see an increase in the beetle population. When you say oily tray under SBB, did you modify your SBB or were you lucky enough to find a tray that worked.


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Offline cao

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Re: Small Hive Beetle!
« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2016, 11:13:52 am »
I made my screen bottom boards.  I found that an 11 x 17 baking pan covered the opening that I had.  I don't know what size screen opening you have, but I would think that any pan with oil pressed tight against the screen would work even if it isn't covering the entire area.  One of these days I'll get around to taking a few pics and posting them.

Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Small Hive Beetle!
« Reply #7 on: July 10, 2016, 07:30:24 pm »
Matt,
I made my screen bottom boards and I made the oil trays. My bottom boards are about 5" tall. This allows for the #8 wire cloth which is the floor of the hive, an 1 1/2" opening for the tray and window screen below the tray to keep the bees out.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Matt J

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Re: Small Hive Beetle!
« Reply #8 on: July 11, 2016, 08:53:09 am »
Great!  Thanks for the help!


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Offline paus

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Re: Small Hive Beetle!
« Reply #9 on: July 11, 2016, 09:53:48 am »
I make my bottom with #8 wire on top and bottom of hive base .  the back has an opening where a cookie sheet can be inserted and the opening closed so no bees can get in.  with up to 50 beetles and 100 grubs in the used cooking oil in the tray, be sure and carry a bucket to dispose of the beetles, grubs, mites, and oil. This does a "Good Job".

Offline Beeboy01

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Re: Small Hive Beetle!
« Reply #10 on: August 05, 2016, 08:03:58 pm »
I've been using a piece of 1/4 inch screen in a wood frame that sits over a shallow plastic container, maybe 10 inches wide by 18 inches long. I put some dishwashing soap and water in the container with the screen covering it.  When I pull a frame that is loaded with SHB's I'll bang the frame on the screen causing the beetles to drop into the soapy water while the bees bounce off the screen and fly away. I can clean out the SHB population in a hive by performing this three or four times in a week by just pulling the outside frames from the top super and banging them on the soapy beetle killer. It's a quick way to reduce the in hive population of SHB's.
  The bees will drive or herd the beetles to the outside frames in the top super which is why you only need to pull the two outer frames per hive. It beats chasing them around with a hive tool and watching them fly away.
  I've been told that it takes too much time to perform this but if you are pulling frames for an inspection it takes less than 30 seconds to bang them against the screen. Open the top of the hive, pull the two outside frames, bang them on the screen and replace them in the hive, it's quick and easy. It's a chemical free way to control them.
  I also have Beetle Blasters in all my hives which help keep their population down but when I see a lot of them I'll use my soapy water death pit on them. It doesn't work on the larval stage, just the adults.