Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Vance G on February 15, 2013, 05:23:24 pm

Title: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: Vance G on February 15, 2013, 05:23:24 pm
Has anyone had an established population of small hive beetles in the Northern tier of States from Minneasota to Idaho?  I am thinking any here would find it hard to get established, and I hope I am not wrong.  How far north do you know of them?
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: D Semple on February 15, 2013, 05:39:24 pm
We see a few here in Kansas City, but not many.
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: AstroBee on February 15, 2013, 06:08:14 pm
My brother has them in Michigan
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: jan on February 15, 2013, 08:29:13 pm
I am in south west Idaho.  So far we dont have SHB.  We had a solid month of weather in the teens.  I dont know if they can survive that.  Can they?
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: Vance G on February 16, 2013, 01:38:20 am
I think they have to be heated above freezing all winter by the bees.  DO the bees tolerate them in the cluster when it is below zero?  That is why I have thought i was safe.  But if they have them in Michigan---
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: oblib on February 16, 2013, 09:09:03 am
I have seen multiple posts about beeks seeing them winter in the cluster with the bees. It may be harder to get established but it looks like once they do then they can winter wherever your bees can.
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: asprince on February 16, 2013, 10:39:21 am
If you want some, I have plenty to spare. :-D


Steve
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: Bush_84 on February 16, 2013, 10:49:15 am
Never seen or heard of them in Minnesota.
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: CTbeeman on February 16, 2013, 07:18:37 pm
I have them here in Connecticut,,,and yes they can overwinter with the cluster :-(
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: hardwood on February 16, 2013, 07:59:58 pm
I've got them way up here! :-D

Scott
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: AllenF on February 16, 2013, 10:41:53 pm
 :-D
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: Jim134 on February 17, 2013, 06:27:24 am
Has anyone had an established population of small hive beetles in the Northern tier of States from Minneasota to Idaho?  I am thinking any here would find it hard to get established, and I hope I am not wrong.  How far north do you know of them?

I do know SHB do overwinter in the clusters of bees in Northern Vermont.  :'(
A friend of my all so has SHB in South Dakota                                                                                                                                                                       




               BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: Indiana Dave on February 17, 2013, 08:07:16 am
We unfortunately have them in Indiana. 
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: tefer2 on February 17, 2013, 08:43:33 am
Yes, we have them here in Michigan. Don't seem to get out of hand though.
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: splitrock on February 17, 2013, 12:50:31 pm
I saw a few a couple of years ago. Don't recall seeing even one last year.
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: Vance G on February 17, 2013, 04:59:36 pm
Well, one would expect them in the South dakota~!
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: RHBee on February 17, 2013, 05:25:27 pm
How far north? From my perspective,  To Far!
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: Joe D on February 17, 2013, 09:34:29 pm
If you need some we will try to round you up some.  So far I have seen one this year that was alive, rest were dead, and he was in a trap.  May you never get em.




Joe
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: James M. Wagner on February 19, 2013, 08:29:05 pm
I've got them way up here! :-D

Scott

 :roll: :laugh:
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: BeeMaster2 on February 20, 2013, 06:55:02 am
If they are in the northern states, I suspect they are producing young during the summer and only the beetles in the hive survive the winter. Down here, they survive in the ground. In order to kill the beetles, larva and eggs in the frames, we put them in the freezer. If you can stop them from dropping to the ground you will probably break their life cycle and possibly get rid of them.
Jim
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: T Beek on February 20, 2013, 09:26:39 am
I've seen only 'one' up here. 

It came with a queen purchased from Texas.  I don't think it made it  8-)
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: lazy shooter on February 20, 2013, 09:47:57 am
Is there some kind of poison that you could put in the ground under your hives that would kill them?
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: T Beek on February 20, 2013, 10:04:49 am
Cold and snow........Sorry. :-D
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: BeeMaster2 on February 20, 2013, 12:15:40 pm
Is there some kind of poison that you could put in the ground under your hives that would kill them?

Yeah and every bee that walked on the ground. If you were treating the soil and washed it into the ground might not bee so bad.
Jim
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: Michael Bush on February 20, 2013, 12:19:53 pm
>Is there some kind of poison that you could put in the ground under your hives that would kill them?

Back in the 70s every beekeeper I knew would lecture you on how pesticides are not the solution... but then beekeepers mostly bought into pesticides when the mites showed up, and proved that their lectures on the "treadmill" were correct... yet...
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: sticbow on February 21, 2013, 12:58:11 am
Southwest Wisconsin. :cheer:  Noticed them in early summer this past year. :shock:  May have come from an out of state package.   Loaded the hives with traps.:jail:  Caught a few, :catchchick: but squashed many with the hive tool for a couple weeks. :chop: I think the bees took care of them because I haven't seen any since then. :jerry:   
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: T Beek on February 21, 2013, 09:14:13 am
Let us know if you see any this Spring. 

With our mild winters I suppose its just a matter of time, but so far I'm pleased with the trade offs us Northerners have with Southerners, like NO BUGS (including SHB) for up to 6 or 7 months, little traffic, except on weekends and lots less people  :-D
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: rwurster on February 22, 2013, 02:27:32 am
None here in southern colorado.
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: danno on February 22, 2013, 09:26:10 am
In the winter of 2011-12 or the lack of I should say. We had little snow and no frost in the ground.  I suspect that set some of them up to over winter in the ground.  This made the summer of 2012 the worst I have seen but it still didn't hold a candle to you southern guys.  I killed a bunch in my honey house and saw many more hiding under covers then usual.  Never had a colony taken over.   This year is still above average temps but we have frost. 
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: capt44 on February 23, 2013, 12:32:09 am
We have SHB bad here in Arkansas.
I've used a drench chemical to soak the ground around the hives, it don't work.
What I am using is a screened bottom board with a pan under it to catch what gets driven down.
I also build my deep boxes to where the front board is all the way to the bottom board.(closed off)
I drilled a 1 1/4 inch hole up from the bottom a few inches.
It seems to cut down on the SHB population for I feel the bees can guard the smaller opening better.
I also have my hive stands on black plastic (1/8 inch thick) I cut into 4 ft squares.
It is known that the small hive beetle fly's around 2100 or 9:00PM to different locations.
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: fshrgy99 on February 23, 2013, 03:04:24 pm
I happened to see my 'mentor' this morning and we talked 'bout shb a bit. Although there is none locally (we are central in Southern Ontario) areas of Ontario along the borders have experienced shb migrating from the South. Although they can overwinter in a hive control here is easier because of the ground freeze and snow. If we do accidentally import them (physically in a nuc etc) elimination is possible with careful attention to elimination and the help of mother nature in the winter.
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: rwurster on February 23, 2013, 03:09:19 pm
Another beekeeper here told me that we don't have problems with them because we are so arid (high desert) and because our winters are so cold.  Hope we stay beetle free :)
Title: Re: How far North are small hive beetles
Post by: Vance G on February 23, 2013, 03:38:30 pm
Another beekeeper here told me that we don't have problems with them because we are so arid (high desert) and because our winters are so cold.  Hope we stay beetle free

Sounds like my situation but I am a bit colder.  Let us hope.