West beetle trap

[FredBorn]

I bought and tried a West Beetle trap.

It seemed to kill more bees than SHB.

Used FGMO in tray as suggested.

When I checked a week later there were many many bees in the trap dead.

Ideas/comments.

[Hi-Tech]

How did the bees get through those small slits in the trap cover to get in the oil? Did you have the slatted cover on correctly?

[Bubba]

I was wondering the same thing :?: . Mine has killed many Shb's and no bee's except when I pulled it out and dumped some cooking oil on a few bee's. I give the west trap 2 thumb's up.

HI-TECH  How long have you been using the west trap?

[FredBorn]

I don't know how they got in thru the slats.

Had it on correctly.

[Bubba]

Hummm?

Is it possible that when you slid it in the hive that the grate caught on the bottom of your frames and pushed it to the front opening the back of the trap to the bee's . I was just wondering cause mine did the same thing once. Dang bee's had a huge glob of propolis on the bottom of 2 frames. I also added a 1/2 in piece of plywood as a additional spacer that came with the trap.

[Hi-Tech]

I have been using the traps on and off all spring and summer except I use lime in them instead of oil. it kills just as good but not near as messy.

[COLVIN]

I have been using the traps on and off all spring and summer except I use lime in them instead of oil. it kills just as good but not near as messy

just straight lime from the garden center? do you mix it with anything?      colvin

[Hi-Tech]

I use (and i may not be spelling right) hydrated lime?

[Hi-Tech]

I have a new method for SHB that I want to share!

I purchased several west beetle traps and while they work good, they are a pain to change out. They also stop most of the ventilation I get from the screened bottom board and i have to disturb the bees to add, remove or change it.

Here is what I came up with and it works great!

I still use my screened bottom board (I build them myself from cedar hive stands) but I built some brackets under it to allow the west beetle trap to slide in under it. It rests about 1 inch under the screen. This allows air to still vent up through the hive, I can change out the trap from the rear of the hive without ever disturbing the bees and it catches tons of beetles and beetle larva. I fill my trap with hydrated lime (from the seed store) and it kills them good. I just went and checked one that I had just put in the day before on a hive that had never had a trap under it and caught over 50 beetles in one day!!!!!

I am going to build some more bottom boards like this soon and will take pictures as I do it if anyone is interested..

We have SHB problems bad here in south Alabama and this is the best thing I have ever seen...

[denart]

Hi-Tech

 Your Idea sounds really good........post those pics...lots of detail...ASAP
 
 Dennis

[Hi-Tech]

I will get pics posted this week. Sorry for the delay, my father has been very ill.

[gulfcoastgardens]

Building them is probably a lot cheaper than buying them. It's costing me a bundle- (although I have been keeping them down to a fairly low number.) I hate SHB with a passion!!!

I got them at Rossman Apiaries - http://www.gabees.com/store -  (B30-90) Screened Bottom Board w/Small Hive Beetle Trap

I may have to try the lime as well. I was getting tired of the oil, and was also going to attempt liquid soap (less noxious, still drowns the nasty beasts, little easier cleanup.)

I'm also going to size down a few hives to SC to see if that makes a difference in SHB hiding places....

[yoderski]

I need something--I was into the hives today and my dozen SHB that I normally kill was something like a hundred--they were everywhere.  I just ordered the West beetle trap, but I will be glad for any method.          
Someone told me to put lime on ground around the hive--will that do any good, as I have not read anything about it...?

[Ginger Bush]

I've read that GUARDSTAR used as a ground drench kills the larvae, disrupting the reproductive cycle. The active ingredient in GUARDSTAR is Permethrin, at 40% solution. The pint is priced comparatively to other products using Permethrin, but the quart from bee suppliers is over a $100, compared to about $40.00 from a comparative garden center product, called 38 Plus, that uses a 38% solution of Permethrin .

However, I don't want to use chemicals, especially these that have immune and nervous system problems associated with them, so I am trying other methods.

I soaked the ground around the hive last night with a gallon of bleach in a five gallon container of hot water. The bees came pouring out of the hive, but none were harmed by this. I ventilated the top of the hive to make sure there was good air flow so that fumes would not be trapped in the hive. I am also going to try Lye as a ground drench.

Comb fouled by hive beetles can also be cleaned in a bleach solution and the bees will use it after 24 hours have passed.

[Ginger Bush]

I think I splashed a little of the bleach on the entrance at hive bottom, working in the dark, and in the morning on closer look counted about 20 bees lost. Hive seems strong though and working, building wax and storing pollen and honey.

I'm hoping Lye doesn't have the fumes bleach has. I'm going to be much more careful next time, and try Lye this evening.

Apparantly, the SHB is best controlled in the larvae stage, outside the hive. See
http://www.csl.gov.uk/science/organ/environ/bee/diseases/documents/SHB.pdf



Hope everyone has a good day.