Nematodes for SHB management?

[Candiebears]

I noticed over the weekend I have small hive beetles. 

Has anyone tried nematodes? as a management solution..

IYO what's the best way to treat/manage

[Hi-Tech]

Keep your hives in full sun. No shade. I like the hive beetle traps at http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Beetle-Blaster-Sold-Individually/productinfo/207/

a few beetles wont hurt you but if you start seeing a lot of them you need to do something.

[BeeMaster2]

The problem with nematode is that they only kill the larvae that drop out of the hive to pupate. Most of the beetles that are entering your hive are flying in from the local area. They are reported to bee able to smell your hive from as far away as 5 miles. I have found that the best way to reduce the SHB population is with the use of a screen bottom boards with an oil tray underneath to kill the SHBs, their larvae and the eggs when the bees remove them from the hive. You can kill thousands of SHBs every month in every hive.
Jim

[MikeyN.C.]

I thought nematode was a organism in sand ? ? (or soils )

[Candiebears]

I thought nematode was a organism in sand ? ? (or soils )

from what I've read they're microscopic worms.

[Candiebears]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to have to move my hive then. It gets partial shade in the afternoon. But there are a few spots in my yard that are sunny all day, every day!

[KeyLargoBees]

Newb here in my first year but SHB are horrible in South Florida or so I am told.....and there are a few tricks that the beeks down here are using and seem to be working well according to some people I have spoken to.....

1. Full sun as mentioned is nice but not really all its cracked up to be according to local beeks....we are in the semi tropics so they say for us 6 hrs of sun is enough and afternoon shade is recommended due too  heat and humidity concerns. Looks like Candi is in NJ so not sure what recommendations up there would be.

2. I was told to put my hives either on pavers or 2" deep pea gravel with with a 2 foot clearance or. (Know that's not an option for a lot of people but hey if it works for us backyarders then who says its wrong) The beetles that fly in to a hive are really the least of your worry and don't amount to that many in the long run...and a strong hive can deal with them but the reproduction of the larva under the hive is a big concern since it can cause an exponential BOOM to beetle population. Breaking that cycle with pavers/gravel....an oil tray ....or nematodes in the soil is the key from what I am hearing.

I am sure like all things beekeeping there are a ton of opinions....this is just what I have been told and so far I am seeing 2-3 beetles per inspection only.

Hope this helps and if I am totally off base and doing it all wrong...then it wont be the first time LOL.

[Candiebears]

Newb here in my first year but SHB are horrible in South Florida or so I am told.....and there are a few tricks that the beeks down here are using and seem to be working well according to some people I have spoken to.....

1. Full sun as mentioned is nice but not really all its cracked up to be according to local beeks....we are in the semi tropics so they say for us 6 hrs of sun is enough and afternoon shade is recommended due too  heat and humidity concerns. Looks like Candi is in NJ so not sure what recommendations up there would be.

2. I was told to put my hives either on pavers or 2" deep pea gravel with with a 2 foot clearance or. (Know that's not an option for a lot of people but hey if it works for us backyarders then who says its wrong) The beetles that fly in to a hive are really the least of your worry and don't amount to that many in the long run...and a strong hive can deal with them but the reproduction of the larva under the hive is a big concern since it can cause an exponential BOOM to beetle population. Breaking that cycle with pavers/gravel....an oil tray ....or nematodes in the soil is the key from what I am hearing.

I am sure like all things beekeeping there are a ton of opinions....this is just what I have been told and so far I am seeing 2-3 beetles per inspection only.

Hope this helps and if I am totally off base and doing it all wrong...then it wont be the first time LOL.

Thanks! That's an awesome idea! And very pretty too. We have a ton of bricks that we found buried in the yard. They're still intact and very clean and would work great to do what you did! Looks like I have a lot of work to do in the yard this weekend!! (and my hubby has a bench to build like the one you did :) )

Right now my hive is only a cinder block away from the ground. I only did it that way, because that's how it was done where I bought my bees.

I've learned quite a lot from this experience. I've been working on a bee garden and looks like I'll be moving into it.

[BeeMaster2]

My bee hives are in full shade when I have them here in town and in full sun when at my farm. I do have more problems with SHB in town but I also have had  a hive here in town in full sun on a a cement pad. Usually there was very few SHB in this hive but I did open this hive one time and there were at minimum 500 SHB in the bottom of it. I opened up the smoker can and dumped as many of them as i could in the can and then closed it up with the lit smoker in it.
Jim

[GSF]

I don't have a shb problem. When I first got bees I had them in the shade. I saw a lot more then than I do now with them in the full Alabama sun. Now the most I see is 1 to 3. Most of the times I don't see any. I've also read that full sun helps with the population build up of the hive. Can't say one way or the other on that one.

[Candiebears]

Thanks everyone!! Once I'm sure my new queen is laying.. I'm going to move them into full sun.

I've read that you're supposed to place something in front of the entrance, so the bees are aware they've moved. I'm moving the hive about 20-30. I have a tall un-used trash can I was going to set a couple feet in front of the entrance, will this work?

[BeeMaster2]

Candiebears,
Just break off a green leafy branch from a tree and stick it in the ground right in front of the hive. They come out and immediately have to re orient.
Jim

[Candiebears]

Candiebears,
Just break off a green leafy branch from a tree and stick it in the ground right in front of the hive. They come out and immediately have to re orient.
Jim

Thanks!!

[BeeMaster2]

NP