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Author Topic: Pest control costs...  (Read 6802 times)

Offline Blammer

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Pest control costs...
« on: July 22, 2006, 12:56:51 am »
Being new to Beekeeping.

and Living in the USA.

Could you post some average costs you incur for your basic maintenance of pest control for your bees based on a per hive cost.

I am mostly looking for costs in the USA but it would be interesting to see what it costs over seas too!

I will start with only one hive, and I am trying to get a feel for how much it should/could cost for different types of treatments.

Name of pest/disease treated and cost would be appreciated.

PLus if there are some places that I could check out for stuff to order online would be good too!

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Pest control costs...
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2006, 01:24:25 am »
There are so many factors involved on what you ask that I wouldn't even begin to give you an answer other than this:  Pest and Parasite control costs with be determined by methods used (natural vs chemical)and the amount of infestation. Other things to be taken into consideration are preventative measures such as feeding Terrimycin and passive equipment costs for such SBB or SHB traps.

The most cost effective are things like SBB and powder sugar shakes because both are natural and the least intrusive on the bees.  In the case of SBB the treatment is always in application.
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Offline Blammer

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Pest control costs...
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2006, 01:35:53 am »
what is a SHB or SBB traps?What do the letters stand for?

ok, what is a good way to ask the question to get some numbers?

I want to know how much I am looking at spending for preventative maintenance, cures, ailments and stuff per year?

or just pick ONE disease/ailment you have treated and tell how bad it was or not at all what you did to cure it and how much it cost you.

Offline Apis629

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Pest control costs...
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2006, 02:01:16 am »
That's a little hard to answer.  Most treatments in beehives are preventive, such as TM, or, are hive parts designed to help prevent various pests.  
The SBB (screened bottom board) is required if you want to do the "sugar dust" treatment for varroa mites.  It also is effective in increasing ventilation and, even helping reduce the swarming urge.  SHB (Small Hive Beetle) traps are necessary for the south eastern part of the US.  They cost around 10 dollars and are on the hive all year round.  The SBB is on the hive year round as well but, get one or the other.  SBBs usually cost around 15 dollars.  There are also other "preventive" costs including "small cell" foundation (if you chose to go with that), Fumidil B (if you want to treat for nosema), and of cource, the PDB (Paradichloro Benzene or Certain for when you have to store the combs and keep wax moths or SHB from destroying it.  Unless you are more specific in what you think you'll need to treat or make preventive measures for, I don't see how you can get an accurate "guess-timate" of treatment costs.

As for costs...

Apiguard to treat 5 hives (I have 5 hives) for varroa mites: $35
TM premixed with sugar:  $20
PDB (5 lbs):  $25
Screned bottom board: $15

Anuall cost of aplication per hive:  $11

Offline qa33010

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« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2006, 02:07:00 am »
Hi Blammer and welcome to something addictive!!!

     I've only been doing this a little less than a year, but good question.  SHB is Small Hive Beetle.  A pest that I've become very familiar with this year due to my own failure.  SBB stands for Screened Bottom Board.  This is used for various reasons, for some of us mite control, From Integrated Pest Management (IPM), to ventilation, even those of us that don't want to clean a bottom board  :wink: ...  

Good Luck!!  :D

David
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Offline Blammer

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Pest control costs...
« Reply #5 on: July 22, 2006, 01:02:06 pm »
Thank you for taking the time to answer!

that was very helpful! SBB and SHB, and exactly what I was wanting to get a grip on as far as costs!

I am becoming aware that preventative medicine pays for itself! I am just not sure how MUCH preventative medicine will cost. Yes, some are fixed, as I am finding out and some are on going.

NOW for the difficult question!

What is the most expensive treatment for something gone arwy!

Yes thankyou for the welcome!

Unfortunately I have now 2 expensive hobbies!

Offline Kris^

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« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2006, 01:52:00 pm »
Tracheal mites:  grease patties -- 15 cents per treatment per hive ( 3 - 4 per year); menthol pellets -- 75 cents per treatment per hive (1 time per year).

Varroa mites: oxalic acid vapor -- 10 cents per treatment per hive (1 time per year).  I used Apistan my first year, at a cost of $10 per hive.

Nosema: Fumagilan-B -- $1.50 to $2.00 per treatment (in the fall and when needed in the spring)

Foul Brood: I bought terramycin powder my first year and treated once, but decided against further treatments because it was preventive only.  Have had no problems.

Small Hive Beetles: a strong hive.  Not a problem.

Wax Moths: a strong hive.  Not a problem.

That's about it.  I use screened bottom boards, but since I build my own equipment and make them out of cut off pieces.  Since I have to have a bottom board anyway, I view it as no extra cost.

-- Kris

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Pest control costs...
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2006, 05:30:26 pm »
The most expensive cost--hands down--is having destroy a complete hive (supers, brood boxes, tops and bottoms,  plus any other equipment that may be on the hive at the time like pollen traps) due to AFB (American Foul Brood).  Watching several hundred dollars worth of hive and bees go up in smoke is a hard pill to swallow.
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Offline Michael Bush

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Pest control costs...
« Reply #8 on: July 22, 2006, 11:06:26 pm »
>Could you post some average costs you incur for your basic maintenance of pest control for your bees based on a per hive cost.

Let's see.

Pests:

Mice.  I use upper entrances so I spend nothing controling mice.  I used to buy mouse guards or use 1/4" hardware cloth for mouse guards.

Tracheal mites.  I do nothing and spend nothing.  If I had a problem I'd get tracheal mite resistant queens.

Varroa mites.  I use natural drawn comb which SAVES me a lot of money because I don't buy foundation or wire or embedders...

AFB.  I have done nothing since 1976.  It works well for me since I've also never had AFB.

SHB.  Don't have any.

EFB.  Never had any.

Chaulbrood.  A little now and then that usually goes away by itself.  I try to move any hive with it into full sun.  If it doesn't clear up, I requeen.  I raise my own queens, so that costs me nothing.

Wax moths.  I don't see these as a bee pest, but they do destroy stored combs.  I use Certan.  Once you treat all your drawn combs those are usually not a problem anymore.  You just have to treat new combs.  I've bought two bottles of this:

http://www.beeworks.com/uscatalog/details/certan.asp

which is now 15.30, so total I've spent $30.60 on wax moths in 32 years of beekeeping.  I think I saved a lot more than that with natural comb.  :)

Skunks.  The top entrances took care of that problem.

Opposums.  The top entrances took care of that problem.

Bears.  Don't have any around here.

Nosema.  I've never treated for it.

Parafoulbrood.  Never had it.  Never done anything to prevent it.

Sacbrood.  Never had it.  Never done anything to prevent it.

So, all total, in a typical year, I spend nothing on it.
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Offline Blammer

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« Reply #9 on: July 23, 2006, 12:19:00 am »
THanks!

I was starting to worry because ALL I saw was how to treat diseases and pests and that looked like that's all beekeeping was, was spendin money for curing ailments.

Glad to see the disease and pests are not as prevelant as I have read or seen. I presume this is because of good preventative maintenance.

Offline Hi-Tech

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« Reply #10 on: July 23, 2006, 12:42:38 am »
Computer Tech, Beekeeper, Hunter = Hi-Tech Redneck
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Offline Understudy

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« Reply #11 on: July 23, 2006, 06:01:22 pm »
Hmmm, I handle this a little differently than most but that is because I am lazy.

I use top entrances which I designed. They probably cost me $12 per top.
I use permacomb for my hives. 30 pieces of permacomb is just shy of $140
But that is 10 frames per box and I have 3 mediums right now with one deep on each hive. I am rotating out my deeps.  The permacomb is reusable so it is a one time cost.

The permacomb is what I use for varroa, small hive beetles (SHB), and wax moth.

I use powdered sugar maybe twice a year. A bag of powdered sugar is a couple of dollars.  This is used as a additonal treatment for varroa but I really haven't had to use it since I got the permacomb.

Other than that I use no chemicals.

Sincerely,
Brendhan
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Offline Finsky

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Re: Pest control costs...
« Reply #12 on: July 25, 2006, 03:18:14 am »
Quote from: Blammer
Being new to Beekeeping.

Could you post some average costs you incur for your basic maintenance of pest control for your bees based on a per hive cost.

I am mostly looking for costs in the USA but it would be interesting to see what it costs over seas too!

I will start with only one hive!


Bye a hive and tools and then start.  It cost different if you have 10 hives or one.  When you learn to nurse bees it is easier to nurse 5 than one.

It is vain to calculate cost of one hive.

Offline Blammer

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Pest control costs...
« Reply #13 on: July 26, 2006, 12:01:23 am »
Yes it may be vain to calculate the cost of one hive...

my intention was to get a "ballpark" idea of the cost involved.

Just like you would not buy a used car for a lot of money that required lots of work with out knowing what it would take to keep it going.

I just don't like going into things blind.

Offline Apis629

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« Reply #14 on: July 26, 2006, 05:45:31 pm »
For me, I worked it out to about $132 for me to get:
1 deep brood chamber
10 deep frames
10 sheets of duraguilt
3 medium supers
30 medium frames
30 sheets plasticell
1  screened bottom board

The cover I made myself from some old lumber so, that's not in the costs.  Then, expect to pay at leat $50 dollars for the basic gear (smoker, veil, hive tool).  Extractors and extracting equipment, including fume boards can run anther $200-$400 dollars.

Offline Jerrymac

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« Reply #15 on: July 27, 2006, 12:23:52 am »
Quote from: Apis629
For me, I worked it out to about $132 for me to get:
  CUT THE REST


What does all that have to do with the cost of pest control??? :shock:
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Offline Apis629

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« Reply #16 on: July 27, 2006, 01:24:11 am »
I guess I got a little off topic but, he said he was looking for a "ball park estimate".  I thought that I'd give him my notes to compare given, most of the initial start up cost will not be derived from the various medications.

Offline Finsky

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Pest control costs...
« Reply #17 on: July 27, 2006, 05:18:21 am »
Last summer I told to very  big beekeeper that I had not time to go through 20 hives during weekend and now I hade free day from job to repair my work.

He said:" Oh boy, we were three men and we handled today 450 hives" .

What pays 3 men's day?

You go through 10 hives or 150 hives per day?

 

anything