>If the beetles enter the trap and eat the boric acid, or other poison, then exit and walk the combs before dying. Couldn't they contaminate the comb and/or honey?
I've wondered the same thing but it is the same dispensing method used by some other stronger chems. You know the one you push in with the paddle w/the slots etc. in it. Of course those methods are approved for those chems.. Or the wafers.
Yes, thats true, but I've also read that in SC, if using Checkmite to control SHB in the manner you have mentioned, you cannot produce comb honey for sale. I intend on using the crush and strain method, and making chunk comb honey. And although I may not sell any, I will be giving it to my family. I would really like to find a solution, but am not willing to take a chance of contaminating honey that my kids will be eating, or that I may sell.
BTW- Since Ive posted I have learned from observing a few hives that if you open them up less, and let them propolize the frames together good. They seem to be able to control the SHB better. Even if they are in the hive. They keep them all guarded in a corner, when you notice several in the hive, and then move the frames and release them, things get bad. I thought I was going to lose a hive to them, just left them alone a few weeks and fed them and they have dramatically inproved. For this reason, I am going to make some changes on the way I manage the bees. If you talk to the commercial guys, they seem to have less problems with them, and they usually say they don't check them as much as Small scale beekeepers do. I think that if we breed a bee that will produce more propolis, and let them glue things together we will see far less problems. What do you think?