Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DISEASE & PEST CONTROL => Topic started by: asprince on July 12, 2009, 12:18:10 pm
-
Have you southern beeks seen a change in the SHB numbers this year? I have see very few this year compared to previous years.
Steve
-
the past 6 years I usually find about 4-5 on top of the intercover, this year its about 10-30, seems there is more with all this rain.
-
Strange, we are only 100 miles apart. Maybe I need some new glasses.
Steve
-
I have seen fewer, but I was attributing it to moving the hives getting the problem ones out in full sun.
-
the past 6 years I usually find about 4-5 on top of the intercover, this year its about 10-30, seems there is more with all this rain.
Do you do anything at all for control or just try to keep strong hives?
I saw one small black beetle in my one and only hive a few days ago and panicked a bit. I don't know if it was a SHB or not. I also saw a cockroach (or brown water bug, I'm not sure if it's really the same thing or not) on my inner cover a week or so ago. I never saw anything like that except a few ants until I spilled a 1/2 quart of sugar water on top of the inner cover, and now in addition to those nasties I have yellow jackets nosing around as well. I still don't have a plague or anything, but I feel pretty dumb for that one.
-
Do you do anything at all for control or just try to keep strong hives?
no I dont do anything like traps and such but I do try to mash as many as possible ;)
-
More this year --- some hives loaded coming out of winter. Holding my breath now, this is when they usually start hitting me hard!!!
-
I found SHB for the first time ever last week in Central Virginia.....I sprayed the earth under the hives with nematodes and am going to put in traps...has anyone tried using Diatomaceous Earth instead of oil in a trap? Seems like it would be easier to handle.
-
I believe that it works well. However despite the inconvenience of oil I still prefer to use it
Mick
-
Thank you, Mick!
-
There are plenty on my hives on my deck (where there is no ground for them to breed????) and very few to none at the Blue Heron hives that are in the middle of a woodland field?
What gives?
Linda T
-
Linda, sorry I have no clue why except you can never tell with bees :-D I do have a stupid question:
do you put the oil in an AJ trap before you put it in the hive or put the trap in first and fill it? :oops:
-
I do put the oil in the trap first - I guess if I were filling with a squirt bottle, I could put the trap in and then fill it. My friend George has a great way of doing it - he puts masking tape across a flower pot in tiny rows and hangs the AJ between the masking tape strips so he can carry the filled traps to the hives.
Linda T in Atlanta
-
It sounds like full sun in the field versus shade trees in your back yard. If that's the case, it'll be that way every time. SHB hate sun.
-
Thanks, Linda......great idea with the masking tape.......I think I'll squirt mine in the trap with a syringe after it's in the hive....I think I would spill it otherwise
-
An old post said you can get a syringe with a curved tip from a veterinarian.
I hand handle them and fill before putting them in --- it is a pain! I have an Italian hive tool and use the hook when removing them.
-
I have one of those syringes with the curved tip & it works perfectly....got mine from my periodontist :roll:
-
I was overrun with SHB overnight. I was told that one adult can lay 5000 eggs and I believe it.
I made 2 style traps. One out of corrugated plastic board and some others out of CD cases. I was desperate and did not have enough honey reserves to rob anyway. For that reason I baited with roach killer in paste form and the SHB are WIPED OUT. I also treated with Apiguard and my hives have never been stronger.
Trying to survive the winter and planning for next year.