Small Hive Beetles

[Pharmacyman]

I just did that final varroa check on my strong hive and saw maybe a dozen or more SHBs. In the past I had used the plastic traps that go in between the frames (mineral oil), but this year I used Beetle Bee-Gone sheets. Beetles were worse today than they were in August. Should I be using another type trap along with Beetle Bee-Gone? With colder weather coming will the problem take care of itself or should I take some action now?

[Pharmacyman]

P.S. I read an older post that said that a Varroa problem can weaken a hive and make SHBs worse. My mite count today was 4.3%

[Jacobs]

I think the sheets take awhile to be effective. The bees chew on them in an attempt to remove them and the fuzz that develops traps the beetles. If these aren't working for you, go back to the traps or add in traps along with the sheets. I never had much luck with traps, but have visited other beekeepers who had lots of SHB in their traps.

Expect adult small hive beetles to over winter with your bees. They may eat eggs, but if not in large numbers the bees will keep them in check. As weather cools and areas outside the cluster drop in temperature, hive beetles will not lay eggs that emerge into the harmful larval phase. For now, make sure the bees are strong enough to patrol their space and keep the adult SHB in check.

[Pharmacyman]

I treated for Varroa in August and afterward did a sugar shake test later that month. I had zero mites shake out. Then I test in October and have lots of mites (4.3%). Is that surprising to you? Have you seen Varroa come back that hard and fast?

[Wally]

That's why I answered your post under mites the way I did.

""October is approx. when drones are kicked out and will be visiting other hives looking for food and shelter. They are the #1 transporter of mites. I would definitely do a mite check about the first frost forecast.""

Yes, it is that time,

[Jacobs]

With any luck, these 2 rapid but intense back to back cold snaps will knock down the population of SHB overwintering outside of hives. Last year's very brief cold snap didn't do much to reduce the SHB population as far as I could see.

[reedyfork]

For the past few years I have basically ignored SHBs (and traps, sheets, etc.), as I've felt that maintaining a healthy colony, managing space, and having them in full sun has been sufficient to never have an issue... That has been true until today!

I have NEVER seen as many as I did today here in my home hives. In 3 of 5 hives, there were literally dozens and dozens of beetles under the lid and both sides of the inner cover. I guess the good news is that the bees had them pushed and corralled up top, but it was crazy.

I was in all these hives 14 days ago to install Apivar, and I only noted the normal "few" beetles at that time. No idea what happened in the past two weeks. And yes, I did put in traps today!

[Pharmacyman]

All those beetles and yours are in full sun. Hmm, that's interesting

I have had lots of SHBs until this year. Used traps and was able to keep their numbers down.

This year I cut a tree down that was shading my hives and started two new hives from swarms that I placed in full sun and I've seen only one or two in each hive this year. I originally attributed this to the full sun, but as I write this, I wonder if it's because these are new colonies from swarms this past spring?

[Wally]

Reedy fork, did you change the type of top lid or inner lid on the hives that would change the sun's effect on the hives' temperature?

[reedyfork]

No - no changes at all to the lids, inner covers, or anything else over the past two weeks. Same equipment in the exact location as in the past 7 years. I have not even fed any pollen patties at all this entire year... I pulled my last honey supers off almost a month ago, and these populations are strong and confined to a deep and a medium (they definitely don't have too much space).

If there's a break in the weather today, I intend to check all my remaining colonies in Summerfield/Stokesdale to see if the issue is widespread or just at my home for some reason.

[hazmatinferno]

reedyfork - you are not the only one! I think we are both in the "northwest corner" (I am in Colfax). My colonies are in full sun. I have never seen as many SHB as I did over the past month.

[hazmatinferno]

Does anyone on the forum recommend any "magic potions" to put in SHB traps? I am aware of the mineral oil, diatomaceous earth, and the Swiffer/Dixie towel trick. I have heard of poisons that can be put in the beetle barns so that the bees cannot get to it. Obviously, putting any poison/pesticide in (or around) the hives does not sound like a good idea. thoughts?

[Jacobs]

I am seeing epic numbers of SHB in my hives. I'm putting in Beetle Be Gone sheets and corrugated plastic sign squares. I have noticed that the harder a solid inner cover is to remove, the more SHB I can expect to see in propolis traps the bees have built. I get ready with my hive tool when I lift the inner cover and release the SHB from their prison.

[Jacobs]

I just checked on a small swarm/nuc that recently re-queened. The new queen is laying, but the population of bees is down significantly. I removed the top nuc box after finding and crushing over 100 SHB in the empty cells from comb in that box. I'm hoping that with less area to patrol, bee population can increase and I may be able to get this small colony to over winter.

[Pharmacyman]

Of the two hives that were being robbed, I lost one to robbing. I was a day or two late taking down the dead out and getting the frames into the freezer, so when I pulled them out of the freezer today I initially thought the frozen larvae I saw that had emerged from the frames was wax moth larvae, then I saw on the floor dead beetles mixed in with the larvae (see pic) I now believe I had more of a SHB problem than I realized. The larvae were on every frame and appear smaller than the two or three wax moth larvae I saw.