What?s your favourite style of small hive beetle trap and why do you use it?

[Terri Yaki]

It looks like I'm in zone 6b, am I going to have to deal with these beetles?

[Michael Bush]

Small hive beetles are endemic to the US.  No matter where you live you will have them.

[The15thMember]

I'm under the impression though that the colder your winters the less of a problem they are in most cases.  Would you more northern beekeepers agree with that?

[Michael Bush]

Michigan seems to have a lot of problems with SHB.  I think the soil type matters more and a hard winter helps.  I get -27 F sometimes in the winter and I still have issues if a hive gets weak.  By issues I mean slimed and destroyed and dead.  The worst is no freezing and sandy soil.

[jimineycricket]

I have hard freezes and heavy clay soil. I have never seen a small hive beetle.

[Michael Bush]

I should have also said humidity.  High humidity, sandy soil and no freezing is the worst (for the beekeeper).  Dry, clay soil and cold winters is the best (for the beekeeper).  SHB eggs won't hatch unless the humidity is high.  Hard clay soil slows the larvae down.  Freezing kills any larvae that are not deep enough.

[Terri Yaki]

I'm under the impression though that the colder your winters the less of a problem they are in most cases.  Would you more northern beekeepers agree with that?

I have heard this too and is why I was asking. I'll find out sooner or later, eh.

[The15thMember]

The clay soil is probably what holds them down in my area.  We have warmish winters and high humidity, and I do have bad years for them, but it's not a constant problem for me. 

[Lesgold]

Most of my hives are on very poor ground. It is hard and depth of soil is only a few mm until you hit decomposed shale. Most of the time beetle numbers are stable but during warm periods where the ground is moist, beetle numbers are higher. I have a few hives on sand about 15 minutes drive from home. Beetle numbers are huge in this area. I did have issues with beetles breeding in my worm farms when fruit and vegetables were used to feed the worms. The beetle numbers in my hives obviously went to silly levels at that time. I now feed the worms on coffee grounds and the beetles have disappeared from the worm beds.