Beetle Blasters - mineral oil or diatomaceous earth?

[reedyfork]

I have always used mineral oil in my beetle blaster traps, but curious about trying diatomaceous earth instead (mainly to limit potential for drips and spills of oil). Anyone tried this yet? If so, I'd be interested to hear observations and method for getting the powder into the trap...

[Jacobs]

My guess is that it won't be too effective. The mineral oil is used to drown adult beetles. Diatomaceous earth is supposed to kill the larvae trying to tunnel into the ground to pupate. I don't think the diatomaceous earth would damage the adult SHB unless it dries the beetle out or something like that. You can try it and see what happens. Who knows, maybe you will find that it does work.

[reedyfork]

Well it sounds like it's time for an experiment! I thought the same as you - the DE would only kill larvae (not adults), but I did see where a guy in TN used it in a comparison and had the same number (or more) dead beetles in the DE than in the oil.

I just installed one beetle blaster with mineral oil and one with DE in each of the 5 hives I have here at my house. I'll record numbers over time and report back.

I would call my hives strong and in full sun, but still seeing more beetles this year than ever - based on only 3 years of beekeeping though...

[reedyfork]

Informal non-scientific experiment results: I am finding substantially MORE dead SHBs in the beetle blasters with diatomaceous earth than in those with mineral oil! Definitely a little surprising, but nice to have another option to the oil (although the DE does have similar risks if you drop or spill).

Next comparison is to try the Swiffer sheets...