BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER > GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM.
Oil trap screened hive bottom?
Ben Framed:
--- Quote from: paus on May 07, 2021, 05:23:53 pm ---Most of my hives have an aluminum casserole pan with edges rolled for strength, with 1/2 to 3/4 inch of used cooking oil in them. I have a back door to service the pan of oil, I pour the oil through a $1 plastic strainer I got at the $ store into a 5 gallon bucket and reuse the oil. The bees seldom know I am there when I service the oil pan. No mess, no SHB, if I stay on top of servicing the pans. I have used pollen sub on the oil and/or a spoon full of "slimeout juice" IN A FOIL CUP on the oil as bait, seems to work quicker on an infestation of SHB. My DSBB have 2 3/4" space for the oil pan with #8 hardware cloth for screens.
--- End quote ---
Yes this method is a proven winner! I appreciate the extra information also of straining etc. If I ever again, have the trouble I had the first year, I will get to work making more bottoms for the cure..... :grin:
FloridaGardener:
I love the West Beetle Trap. Between the trap and the fuzzy towel inside, I haven't lost to SHB since I started using the combo.
I add 3/4" x 1-3/4" cleats (runners, or skids) on the sides of the screened bottom board. I use pressure treated lumber and pre-drill for deck screws. The West beetle trap sits underneath easily, and I can pull it back anytime to check/scrape the trap without opening the hive.
It's awesome. With that 1-3/4" space beneath the screen bottom, guard bees can patrol on the trap's top grid, and kick the fallen beetles into the abyss.
I too found using oil is stinky. I use a small amount of water. I bring a plastic kitchen garbage bag with to scrape out trash at each hive. I carry a bottle of water to refill a few ounces in each tray.
paus:
I have tried water and I like it better than any thing I've tried, especially with some Sodium hexa meta phosphate added, the water has very little surface tension so everything sinks. Calgon is the same product and possibly more available for most Beeks. I do not use water because it evaporates so fast in Texas, and DE cakes but is probably still effective, just try every thing to figure out what works for you. The DSBB makes the hive heavier. One more tip I use. Roll a stick in the rolled edges of the aluminum pan to keep the loaded pan from folding and spilling oil. *I have been able to control the messy part of the oil pan ever since I lifted a successful hive trap ful of bees with oil pan while standing on the back of a Golf Cart. That made funniest Bee Keeper Videos, except for the language.
BeeMaster2:
I used the oil trays for 3 years. In 30 days the trays are almost solid black from dead beetles. My third year I had 12 hives with oil trays and killed thousands of beetles in every tray every month.
It worked so well that the following year I had very few beetles and stopped using oil.
Jim Altmiller
Beeboy01:
I've used oil trays loaded with soapy water under screened bottom boards with success. Tried oil in the trays but it was too messy and filled up with debris. The smell of the soapy water seemed to piss the bees off a bit and needed to be refilled about every three or so days but it killed a lot of beetles.
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