Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DOWN UNDER BEEKEEPING => Topic started by: the-ecohouse.com on December 13, 2011, 06:07:26 am
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Hi Guys
Check out my new small hive beetle trap experiment.
Using gutter guard mesh its super easy for any skill level to duplicate, cost and time effective.
So far it is working quite well plenty of beetles and no bees,
the-ecohouse.weebly.com/1/post/2011/12/revised-small-hive-beetle-traps.html
cheers
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I like the idea of using the gutter guard mesh. I'll check some out the next time in one of the hardware stores. Thoughts on the mesh size... I've seen several reports that SHB are to range up to 3.2mm wide by 5.7mm long. I haven't found a report of their thickness. That is basically 1/8" wide by a touch less than 1/4" long. Non-average smaller or larger beetles are probably out there.
Ed
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Hi, I like the gutter mesh idea, what do you use for a tray?and how do you attach it?
Cheers
Anybrew
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check out my link on the first post.
Basically there is company called gum leaf gutter guard. they sell their product at bunnings. this is the only company that ii have foudn that makes mesh size small enough.
Cost about $17 per sheet but that should be enough to do 6-7 hives depending on the size of your traps.
These are working really well. I used to recess a trap into the bottom of the floor and cut 3mm slots into the floor of the hive but slightly wider and the traps would end up full of bees.... But with these ones i just liquid nailed around the edges and stapled it to the bottom board.
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One the the beeks at the bee club meeting I went to had a bottom board rebated with that type of gutter guard in it. It looks like it could work well.
I might try it on my bottom board once I get a spare one.
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One the the beeks at the bee club meeting I went to had a bottom board rebated with that type of gutter guard in it. It looks like it could work well.
I might try it on my bottom board once I get a spare one.
Off topic a little bit, but where do you get your supplies from around here?
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Off topic a little bit, but where do you get your supplies from around here?
The mesh will be via Bunnings, another bottom board most likely through Quality Bee Keeping Supplies at Sumner Park.
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bit of an update on the traps guys
they are working VERY well the mesh size of the gutter-guard is perfect for the beetles.
one hive had around 30 drop out in the first week, with little sign of them in the hive anymore.
I have modified another 10 bases well see how we go.
I personally like the fact it doubles as a screened bottom board.
cheers
(http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/6389/img4148p.th.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/41/img4148p.jpg/)
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Nice. Sounds like you've found some good material there. As I said...I'll keep my eyes open for it. ;)
Ed
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yep i'm preety happy with it....i like the fact its so quick to modify my existing bottom board
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I am kind of curious about what material that is that you're using for your bottom board. Where you cut the hole, have you sealed with anything to prevent moisture damage?
Ed
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hi there
i use weathertex hardwood board. I just paint the cuts on the exterior side only, prob not necessary given how much liquid nails (glue) i tend to use for the mesh. The board comes with a 25 year unpainted guarantee. so that works well for me.
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I was making a base board similar to ecohouse's and wasn't happy with my results. So I bit the bullet and ordered a Freeman one, the postage is a bit of a killer though.
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really?
what did you find the problems were in your hives?
not catching enough beetles?
let me know how you go with the freeman version. I'd be curious to see how they compare, the beetle traps that you place into between the frames were not very successful for me, plus you had to keep opening them up to check them...
I'm working on something special that may end up replacing my bottom boards and risers....
can say more at the moment..still in approval stage.
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What are you using in the trays Eco? Diatomaceous earth?
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nah veggie oil, i found it to be much more effective in the baking trays i currently use
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really?
what did you find the problems were in your hives?
not catching enough beetles?
No, I just wasn't happy with how mine looked. I was using the sheetmetal base board it looked a bit flimsy once I added the mesh.
let me know how you go with the freeman version. I'd be curious to see how they compare, the beetle traps that you place into between the frames were not very successful for me, plus you had to keep opening them up to check them..
Will do.
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no worries...
Currently we trying to work out some solutions for commercial beekeepers in the area
so i'll certainly be glad to hear how you traps go.
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Man..... I looooooovvvvvvveeeeee your website !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My wife and I have a similar thing going on at our house, big veggie gardens, fruit trees everwhere, chickens, and bees.... so cool to see someone else young like me with similar aspirations!
Think I am going to enjoy keeping up with your blogs!!
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Thanks Shan777 :-D
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check out my link on the first post.
Basically there is company called gum leaf gutter guard. they sell their product at bunnings. this is the only company that ii have foudn that makes mesh size small enough.
Cost about $17 per sheet but that should be enough to do 6-7 hives depending on the size of your traps.
These are working really well. I used to recess a trap into the bottom of the floor and cut 3mm slots into the floor of the hive but slightly wider and the traps would end up full of bees.... But with these ones i just liquid nailed around the edges and stapled it to the bottom board.
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As with the other thread, I think I should warn people that two overlapping layers of 6mm gutter guard is not a good substitute for one layer of 3mm gutter guard.
If you can't get 3mm gutter guard I would recommend solid bottom boards. It really isn't nice finding bees drowned in your own oil traps.
Oak
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I found the following gutter mesh on eBay ( http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PREMIUM-Gutter-Guard-Aluminium-Leaf-Mesh-Free-Delivery-/260562758345?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item3caac02ac9 )which I would like to use for a beetle trap, not sure about the size of the hole though. The size is 3.5 x 1.2 mm.
Any advice or links to other mesh?
Cheers,
CB
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the-ecohouse.weebly.com/1/post/2011/12/revised-small-hive-beetle-traps.html
I can't get your link to work. :sad:
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Hi Richard, yes the original link to the mod does not appear to work. The idea is to have mesh over a hole over a tray in the bottom board to trap the beetles, so the mesh must enable the beetles but prevent the bees from getting into the DE or oil in the trap. The eBay link is for the gutter guard mesh and does work; I have just tried it.
CB
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As I mentioned to CB in a PM the gutterguard (from Bunnings) is only 3mm and not only lets SHB through and not the bees but also lets the grubs through into the trap so breaking the cycle. The tray under the hole has to be a slidding snug fit into the cleats holding it to block out light so as to encourage the beetles to hide.
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Here are some photos of what I have been playing with using Gutterguard. I first started with the opening in the middle of the bottom board and although it was catching a lot of SHB and grubs it was also collecting pollen to the point it was building up to touch the screen (in oil it was a soggy mess) Also the small metal baking dishes (old ones my wife had) are no longer available so I thought I'd move to the back of the hive (as per the photo in the Nuc box) with a smaller catcher. I found some plastic boxes on eBay but when they turned up they are far from opaque that the photo showed so I have to give them a spray with black paint over a plastic primer. Also I have to trim off the vertical "braces"on the plastic box to allow the box to slide in the cleats. The plastic boxes measure 130x45x60mm (the metal trays about 150x225) - (I prefer the metal trays)
The photos of the lids show the larger ventilation holes that compliment the traps. Apart from extra ventilation for our hot climate the let light in that drives the SHB down into the hive and into the waiting arms of the bees who drive them down into the trap .(you can also see what the bees are upto in terms of building burr comb in the lid) The vent holes are covered with metal fly mesh. (next post)
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Lids with larger vent holes. To prevent the rain getting in I use corrugated roof iron the over hangs front and back 150-200mm and if slightly wider than the hive can be bowed with the tie down to create an air gap for cooling (or laid flat still gets air circulation with the corrugation)
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Another thing I do to break the SHB lifecycle is to scratch "Lawn Grub" killer into the soil under the hive . Takes care of any pupating lava in the soil that way.
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On the topic of SHB and ventilation...
I went through my hives the other day and they all had a decent number of SHB in them (strong hives as well). However two of the hives
had nowhere near as many SHB. The only thing different about those hives was that there were a couple of large gaps (say, 2cm) that
ran the length of the hive (due to the sides being slightly lower than the front and back). It could be a complete co-incidence though.
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Hi folks,
I'm yet to get any woodware for my future hives, and have been looking intently at screened bottom board options as a good way to start to counter SHB. I was happy to find this thread as my seacrh so far had not found a suitably sized mesh that was reasonably availble. Can I check, this is the one you are talking about at Bunnings?
http://www.bunnings.com.au/gumleaf-1200mm-90-fold-woodland-grey-metal-gutterguard_p3040244
I see you guys are just putting a hole in your bottom board. All the designs I've seen from overseas indicate full width & length screen the be the best option (although they are focussing on varroa control), or the beetles & larvae can just land on the not screened part & crawl back up again. Is there any reason trying to make a full size screen would not be a better option? Only obvious thing ai can see using this gutter guard is that it isn't actually wide enough to go full width.
Thanks.
Russell.
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That's right, that product will only cover a third of the area of the hive (and that's how I use them). Better than nothing though.
If you contact the supplier of those I believe they have something that would work in covering the whole area.
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Thanks Kalium. My little past experience contacting suppliers usually results in either not talking to me if I don't buy in bulk, or charging a single-job premium, which is fair enough, but has made me gun shy.
Wouldn't it be possible to lay 3 sections side by side? I'm assuming it's relatively stiff. Otherwuse it show be easy to join each section with some thin wire or expoxy putty.
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Definitely possible to wire up three sections together. However my bottom boards take me long enough as it is, and cost enough as it is.
If I were to find my hives being overrun my SHB, then I might look to making the whole floor of mesh.
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My thought on a full screen bottom board lets the blighters escape and the lavae full to earth to pupate. A small covered hole with a trap under (and dark) attracts the beetles into a hide hole to get away from the bees chasing them. You want to reduce numbers not send them elsewhere.
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No reason you can't put a full tray of oil under a full depth screen. That was going to be my plan, with a draw system under the screen to easily facilitate adding & removing the tray.
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Fair enough - more work more material more oil - be interested to hear if its more effective
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Would these do the trick?
http://www.nuplas.com.au/10-frame/vented-10-frame-deep-base
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This link will not work for me . Is there a new link that works. I see someone said that the original link
did not work. If there was a later link I missed it. How do I get to this site???
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After being flushed with initial success I am finding some short comings - the bees are plugging up the mash :angry: being the bottom of the brood box I'm not inclined to lift most of the frames or the whole box to get at it from above to clean and crawling under is out. - Sooo ... I'm looking at removing the mesh from the bottom board and attaching it to the oil tray simply by wrapping about 6mm around the 4 edge lips and sliding the whole assembly into the cleats.
Cleaning will just entail sliding out the old - have a replacement on standby to slide in before the bees realise there is a big hole in the bottom and start coming out in droves. (Or maybe use one to push the other out ) Take the old one away to clean at your leisure.