small hive beetle

[ttthay]

Ok all my bee friends. What have u found to be the best way to treat hive beetles? I bought another hive last night and just took off the top lid for a quick look and seen 3 or 4 beetles running......so i guess i am going to have to do something about them . I have never been bothered with beetles before. Thanks for ur help.

[Locust&Honey]

A strong hive with fix itself. I see hive beetles sometimes when I go in but if the hive is strong the beetles won't last. Most of the beetles I see hide out under the inner cover in some propolis.

[ski]

I agree with Locust&Honey a strong hive and located in the sun will take care of the beetles. I don't think 3-4 beetles is anything to be concerned about.
I was able to attend the EAS meeting in Boone and heard Dr. Mike Hood report on a study he was doing. So I thought I would share my notes.

Dr. Mike Hood from Clemson University conducted a study comparing two Small Hive Beetle traps (SHB). The Hood beetle trap (a bit self serving) and the Freeman trap. The Hood trap is a small box that mounts on a frame with an attractant that kills the beetles. The Hood trap was modified so it would be even with the frame top bar. The Freeman trap mounts under the hive and uses used vegetable oil in this case to kill the beetles.

http://freemanbeetletrap.com/yahoo_site ... 153109.pdf

http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Ho ... tinfo/296/

There were multiple apiaries with hives and traps and control hives with no traps so the test was conducted in a scientifically correct manner over a 4-7 week interval.

Both traps caught beetles and the counts were fairly close.

At the end of the test all hives were shaken out and the beetles remaining in the hive were counted.

Freeman trap had 50 beetles remaining.
Hood trap had 70 beetles remaining.
The CONTROL hives had 80 beetles remaining.

Dr. Hood’s conclusion was that trapping beetles MAY attract more beetles.

Another test is under way with the Freeman trap, Hood trap and Better Beetle Blaster trap.
Reported Thursday August 5th at the 2010 Eastern Apiculture Society meeting in Boone, NC.

[drewgrim]

i had two hives that were in slight shade and had bad hive beetles. i moved them to full sun and raised them about 22" off the ground. now i have no hive beetles. i think the trick is controlling entry of new beetles and full sun. at least thats what worked for me.

[top bar maker]

I built a bottom board that holds about 1/4" of vegetable oil - The Pool of Doom - that collected over 30 of the little buggers the first time we used it. We removed it and haven't seen a beetle since.