Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DISEASE & PEST CONTROL => Topic started by: John Schwartz on June 08, 2010, 09:16:10 pm

Title: Trying to ID a beetle
Post by: John Schwartz on June 08, 2010, 09:16:10 pm

Hi folks,

I'm in Oregon and have noticed a smaller beetle (I don't *think* it's SHB) that has some similarities to the SHB. This pic is fuzzy but shows size:

(http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/5489/beetlef.th.jpg) (http://img20.imageshack.us/i/beetlef.jpg/) 

Anyone in the Northwest or elsewhere have different kinds of smaller beetles in the hive similar to SHB?

Thanks,
John

Title: Re: Trying to ID a beetle
Post by: AllenF on June 08, 2010, 09:18:33 pm

That pic is a little blurry but it does not look like SHB to me.   Not big enough, not round enough.

Title: Re: Trying to ID a beetle
Post by: John Schwartz on June 08, 2010, 09:20:41 pm

Thanks, Allen...comparing it to Google image search made me think the same. Encouraging to hear. But, not having lived in the South and experienced the joy of SHB, I'm wanting to make sure.

Title: Re: Trying to ID a beetle
Post by: AllenF on June 08, 2010, 09:23:19 pm

Joy?   The only joy is when you hear the squish under your thumb.

Title: Re: Trying to ID a beetle
Post by: John Schwartz on June 08, 2010, 09:24:56 pm

LOL, ya, totally tongue in cheek with my "joy" comment.

Title: Re: Trying to ID a beetle
Post by: Kathyp on June 08, 2010, 09:26:07 pm

i have some things around that i think look like that, but not in my hive.  let me know if you find out what it is.

Title: Re: Trying to ID a beetle
Post by: John Schwartz on June 08, 2010, 09:29:51 pm

Quote from: kathyp on June 08, 2010, 09:26:07 pm

i have some things around that i think look like that, but not in my hive.  let me know if you find out what it is.

Will do, Kathy. I'm taking no chances and trying to ID it.

Title: Re: Trying to ID a beetle
Post by: John Schwartz on June 08, 2010, 10:11:26 pm

Bit better pic:

(http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/3863/picture4yw.png) (http://img404.imageshack.us/i/picture4yw.png/)

Called Jim B. here locally and he says they aren't SHB and he sees these in the hive and are harmless. Haven't seen anything definitive on some insect sites yet.

Title: Re: Trying to ID a beetle
Post by: Kathyp on June 08, 2010, 10:16:16 pm

i think that's what i was telling you about from a few years ago.  have not seen them in the hive since then, but pretty sure i have seen them around.  they are hard little things?

Title: Re: Trying to ID a beetle
Post by: John Schwartz on June 08, 2010, 10:23:03 pm

Quote from: kathyp on June 08, 2010, 10:16:16 pm

i think that's what i was telling you about from a few years ago.  have not seen them in the hive since then, but pretty sure i have seen them around.  they are hard little things?

Yep -- not so easy to squish. Find them in cracks, between cover and hive edge, on slide-out tray in bottom board, and in comb eating pollen here and there.

Title: Re: Trying to ID a beetle
Post by: sc-bee on June 10, 2010, 12:51:17 am

Look for the little knobs on the antenna of SHB. That also looks a little more elongated to me than SHB just judging from the picture. Believe me I have had my share :-x!

Here's a link:

http://www.beekeeping.com/articles/us/small_hive_beetle.htm (http://www.beekeeping.com/articles/us/small_hive_beetle.htm)