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Author Topic: Organic SHB Repellant?  (Read 5976 times)

Offline Meadlover

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Organic SHB Repellant?
« on: November 09, 2011, 05:53:31 pm »
I am a member of an organic gardening group here in Australia and one of the organic treatments recommended to repel grasshoppers is to collect a heap of them, blend them up, then spray them on your plants. I have yet to try this but with the plants in my garden springing to life right now, I'm sure I'll get to try this soon.

I'm wonering what people think about using this same theory and method as a SHB repellant??? ie collecting some SHB, blending them up and spraying around/on the hive.

I would be interested to hear if anyone has already tried this, or for any feedback in general to the idea.

ML

Offline Larry Bees

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Re: Organic SHB Repellant?
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2011, 06:16:02 pm »
I've never tried anything like that, but if you put your bees in all day sunlight, it should help with your shb. Larry

Offline hardwood

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Re: Organic SHB Repellant?
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2011, 09:03:35 pm »
I've smashed many SHB within a single hive (just like a blender only more satisfying) and seen no difference.

Scott
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Offline cinch123

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Re: Organic SHB Repellant?
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2011, 09:39:15 pm »
Why does putting the hive in all day sunlight prevent SHB? It's dark in the hive. Is it the extra heat?

Offline Meadlover

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Re: Organic SHB Repellant?
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2011, 09:45:22 pm »
I've smashed many SHB within a single hive (just like a blender only more satisfying) and seen no difference.

Scott

I need to confirm but I think the 'grasshopper' recipe has water added, and left to ferment somewhat.
My assumption is that whatever fungus/bacteria grow in the liquid would be a natural repellant to them.

Offline Larry Bees

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Re: Organic SHB Repellant?
« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2011, 10:35:49 pm »
Why does putting the hive in all day sunlight prevent SHB? It's dark in the hive. Is it the extra heat?

I think that it must be the extra heat, but I don't know for sure. But , (for me at least), it works! Larry

Offline ShaneJ

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Re: Organic SHB Repellant?
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2011, 10:40:14 pm »
This is just my opinion and observation, but I don'tt think having the hive in full sun directly effects the SHB. I believe the bees are much more active(probably hot and cranky) in the heat and they fight with anything they don't like.
Shane

Offline ShaneJ

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Re: Organic SHB Repellant?
« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2011, 10:42:12 pm »
I forgot to add that I lost my last hive to SHB and it was in full sun. I believe what caused the loss was putting sticky frames back in the super and the bees had to focus their attention on cleaning up the messy frames.
Shane

Offline Monster1970

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Re: Organic SHB Repellant?
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2011, 07:29:38 am »
I also lost a hive in full sun. It was more to do with frames that were not covered by bees allowing the SHB areas of access without being hassled. It is surprising how many people though do say that if you have a SHB issue, to ensure the hive is in full sun.
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Offline lilyfrog

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Re: Organic SHB Repellant?
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2012, 04:37:10 am »
Placing the hive in the sun helps keeping the brood warm. A hive with a brood temp of 38'c will give you bees that live twice as long as bees from brood that was at 34'c.
Longer living bees makes for a bigger colony and the strong hive will deal with the beetle naturally far better.
Don't worry about over heating the bees will control their internal temp themselves, they just need help with heating.
Warmer brood makes for happier bees & happier Beekeeper.

I also have a few organic friendly traps in trial at present, as things develop I will share my findings. I have looked in to obtaining "Organic Certification" but the costing is prohibitive, but I will for my own piece of mind I will be very "Organic" friendly.

I live in a very bad hive beetle area, and I am only several hundred meters from a Qld Biosecurity hive beetle test site and they are catching hundreds of beetles a day and I am lucky to get 10-15 beetles from my hives, every time I check them. I have been asked to keep records on my hives so they can include some non chemical data also.

cheers
Mark
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