Guilfordbeekeepers.org

Check out the attached pic. Is it a beard, yes, but not really. It's a really strong hive that decided to abscond outside because of the small hive beetles. Inside, 75% of the frames are "wet" looking, which to me means it's pretty bad inside with hive beetle defecation. Here is my plan, poke holes in it.

1. Get some drawn comb from the freezer and put it in a super
2. take all the frames out of the old hive and brush the bees off in the "new" super
3. throw each frame regardless of the content in a pale of water/dawn dish soap (to keep the beetles from flying off when it goes in the water)
4. take the frames dipped in the soapy solution and rinse them off before placing in the freezer for several days
5. reinstall the old infected frames in the hive (I have more undrawn comb than drawn which is why I have to put it back in the hive)

Hopefully I find the queen and after several days, place the old frames back in the hive and install a beetle guard/screen bottom board.
I've had good luck with the new red beetle guards and screen bottom boards (with slide out tray that I fill with Diotomashus Earth). Currently this is solid bottom board.

TLDR, Check your hives every 10-14 days. Bearding doesn't always indicate that everything is good. Hive beetles stick.

Roy.

I didn't have a hive beetle problem----yet. I am in the process of planning for "fall" varroa management and for examining hives that do not appear to be as strong as others. The day before yesterday, I determined that one of the weaker hives was queen right but had requeened. The population was way down and they no longer needed or could patrol 6 medium supers. I rearranged brood frames and feed frames in the hive and reduced it to 4 supers. They have plenty of room, but can protect/patrol all frames.