Beetle Baffle - anyone tried this?

[Thershey]

http://video.foxnews.com/v/3266316566001/bees-v-beetles-beekeeper-fights-beetles-with-new-invention/?intcmp=obnetwork#sp=show-clips

[sc-bee]

Check over in the "Disease and Pest" side of the Forum. You may do a quick scan there and find a thread?

[ChrisT]

It certainly is interesting.. thanks for sharing.

I used to have a horrible problem with SHB until i got the slide out oil tray IPK from greenbeehives. Its not the most quality constructed but it works awesome. I didnt have any beetles this summer and going into winter where normally id have tons of them.

The baffle thing would be much cleaner and easier to deal with if it works.. I guess it just relies on their inabilty to scale smooth surfaces? I wonder what happens when it gets dirty and some traction is then provided.

Chris

[GSF]

ditto GBH Chris, got rid of about all my beetles. I saw some just recently.

[Moots]

The baffle thing would be much cleaner and easier to deal with if it works.. I guess it just relies on their inabilty to scale smooth surfaces? I wonder what happens when it gets dirty and some traction is then provided.

Chris,
I first heard of the Beetle baffle probably around late November and actually saw it in person for the first time at the Louisiana State Beekeepers Association annual convention back in December, then again at the ABF convention in January.  Hadn't tried one yet for a couple of reasons...First, $16 for four small strips of metal strikes me as excessive...Yeah, I'm probably cheap, but I prefer frugal.  :-D
Secondly, because right or wrong, I've subscribed to the theory that a strong hive will "manage" SHB's and keep them in check...and you really don't lose a hive to SHB's, they're simply opportunist, there to take advantage of a weak hive with some other problem.

That being said, if it does work, I'd agree it's a much more usable option than the IPM Screen bottom board and oil trays, that approach was very short lived in my first months of beekeeping, simply more trouble than it was worth in my opinion.  Although, If I'm not mistaken while you can use it with a solid bottom board, I think they suggest using it in conjunction with SBB/oil trays.

Regardless...as i ramble on....The point of my post is that the key point of the design is not the smooth surface, it's the angle and length of the downward bend.  It's such that a bee can crawl around it, but a SHB, because of it's rigid exoskeleton cannot wrap around it to make the trip up the side of the hive.  The answer to SHB's can fly is simply, like bees they fly outside the hive, but not inside.

[10framer]

it's flashing.  it's a good idea but it only works if there is absolutely no other way for a beetle to enter the hive (no gaps or cracks).
i'm with moots, strong hives don't have beetle problems. 

[Thershey]

The baffle thing would be much cleaner and easier to deal with if it works.. I guess it just relies on their inabilty to scale smooth surfaces? I wonder what happens when it gets dirty and some traction is then provided.

Chris,
I first heard of the Beetle baffle probably around late November and actually saw it in person for the first time at the Louisiana State Beekeepers Association annual convention December, then again at the ABF convention in January.  Hadn't try one yet for a couple of reasons...First, $16 for four small strips of metal strikes me as excessive...Yeah, I'm probably cheap, but I prefer frugal.  :-D
Secondly, because right or wrong, I've subscribed to the theory that a strong hive will "manage" SHB's and keep them in check...and you really don't lose a hive to SHB's, they're simple opportunist there to take advantage of a weak hive with some other problem.

That being said, if it does work, I'd agree it's a much more usable option than the IPM Screen bottom board and oil trays, that approach was very short lived in my first month of beekeeping, simply more trouble than it was worth in my opinion.  Although, If I'm not mistaken while you can use it with a solid bottom board, I think they suggest using it in conjunction with SBB/oil trays.

Regardless...as i ramble on....The point of my post is that the key point of the design is not the smooth surface, it's the angle and length of the downward bend.  It's such that a bee can crawl around it, but a SHB, because of it's rigid exoskeleton cannot wrap around it to make the trip up the side of the hive.  The answer to SHB's can fly is simply, like bees they fly outside the hive, but not inside.

Thanks for the firsthand feedback moots.  I'm with you on the $16 bucks, maybe I'm cheap too but that's usury IMO. 

[Royall]

Just have to ask this. Bees seem to "glue" everything with propolis, so will they start putting propolis on the flashing? If they do, won't that make for a change in the angles enough that the SHB will be able to negotiate the sharp angle?

[10framer]

i don't know royall.  i'll probably actually make some of these or something similar just to see what i think.

[Carol]

since beetles can fly....couldn't they just fly up into the combs?

[Moots]

since beetles can fly....couldn't they just fly up into the combs?

Carol,
They say, while SHB can fly, they are just like bees...they do not fly inside the hive...

[sc-bee]

I thought the same thing--- Dang 16 bucks. If I heard it was absolutely foolproof maybe. But not at this point.

[GSF]

L, I, B. I didn't know SHB wouldn't fly around inside a hive.

[robinh]

The cost is well worth it if it does the job.I installed one on a new package in May.I will post later on how it does.