Guilfordbeekeepers.org

I checked the two nucs that I installed Saturday and I found beetles under the feeder bottle on one of the hives and the other hive is slow to build-up.

I have two questions

1) Is anyone else founding SHB in the nuc that were delivered Saturday?

2) Does anyone have any corrugated plastic sheets, like the ones used for signs? I would like to make some beetle traps.

If anyone has another quick and clean method to get kill SHB, speak up.

cundald

SHB is most likely in 100% of the hives in NC and does not pose a problem except in weak colonies.
Keep your bees in the full sun and strong and SHB will not be a problem.
There are different methods of killing SHB, some that are natural and some that are not.
Proceed with caution.
I have never trated for SHB.

Kurt

I am going to bring a couple of political signs and some scissors to the field day tomorrow. If you want to cut some for beetle traps, you are welcome to it. This goes for anyone else who needs the plastic for beetle traps.

Here comes another (stupid - ??) question but how does having the hive in full sun get rid of this problem? My poor baby girls (when I finally get them that is) will be in partial shade as I have a yard full of oak trees etc. I can't put them in the pasture as that would be dangerous. What is the chance mine will get that do you think?

By the way - todays picnic was a success! Had a great time and the indiviual demonstrations was very informative for me.thanks.

I would like to ask the same question jae. My hives will have morning and evening sun, but partial shade during most of the day. I dont really have a full sun location on my property. Most books I have read suggest that patial shade is a good idea as long as the hives get good morning sun.
Is the partial shade really going to cause issues with SHB?

Most books were written before the problem with SHB.
The temperature of the hive is regulated by the bees in order to maintain a proper brood rearing environment. Outside of the brood, the hive is less regulated by the bees. Apparently full sun makes it uncomfortable for the beetles to do what they do. When you see beeltles running around, they are more on the inner cover than other places.
I am simply letting you from experience that my hives in mostly shade have much more trouble than my hives in full sun. I rarely see a beetle in the full sun hives.
Partial shade, if all that is available will be fine. If you feel that there are too many beetles, you can always install a beetle trap.

Kurt

What would you put in the corrugated sheets? I have the pest also.

Here is a link to utube showing fatbeeman putting crisco and boric acid into the cells of the sign. Boric acid or 20 mule team borax laundry detergent sold int the grocery store.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_KDPp8H ... annel_page