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Author Topic: Chux Wipes...  (Read 8152 times)

Offline Intheswamp

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Chux Wipes...
« on: March 23, 2013, 01:00:59 pm »
Howdy.  I've been working on my shb control here in humid south Alabama, USA.  So far I've modified my screened bottom board to handle an oil tray beneath it...I call it the ISOT.  I've got a couple of more small mods to do to it and it'll be ready to go.  I think that will help with bottom entry and a good bit of in-hive beetle activity.  I'm using Beetle Jail Jrs inside of the hive.  The top of the hive (using telescoping/inner covers) has been a problem for me, though, in trying to combat the beetles entering there.

I have been reading of ya'll using "Chux Wipes" as a shb trap.Up here we refer to the Chux type of wipe as a "Handi Wipe".  I picked up a couple packs of a off-brand called "Scrub Buddies".  Eight for a dollar.  Being an off brand I figure they may "fuzz" a bit more.  I rinsed them and rung the water out of them and have thrown them in the clothes dryer with a couple of t-shirts to help with the "fuzzing". :)

My plans are to use the wipes on top of the inner cover.  The inner cover is sealed so that the bees can not enter that area.  The feeder/escape holes in the inner covers are screened over with #8 mesh screen (they propolised window screen to quickly) and if an inner cover has a notch cut for an entrance it is blocked, too.  

One sheet would cover most of the inner covers of my 8-frame hives.  A question I have is...how important is it that the wipes are folded over into a square?  Will multi-layers work better than a single layer?   I've seen that they've been used inside the hive and figure this might be the reason for folding so as not to block bee movement too much.  Do you think a single layer on the inner cover would be enough of an obstacle to catch most of the beetles trying to enter that way?  I figure on using something to hold the wipe firmly against the inner cover in the area immediately around the feeder holes so that a beetle will either crawl under the outer edges of the wipe and hit a dead-end or either will have to traverse the entire wipe before it makes it to the hole.  

Lastly, it seems I read somewhere about the barbs that get caught in the fuzz...am I correct in thinking these are on the beetles' legs?

Thanks for any feedback!
Ed
www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Chux Wipes...
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2013, 01:13:34 pm »
Just thought I'd add a picture of a hive beetle that shows the hairy legs and barbed-like "feet".

Ed

www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Offline ShaneJ

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Re: Chux Wipes...
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2013, 09:27:10 pm »
Hi Ed, the chux is a great idea but it seems like a bit of trouble if you are using it with an inner cover and then trying to hold it down.

I have been using felt backed vinyl for my inner covers and I fund the felt works just as good as the chux. I sit the smooth side of the vinyl against the top of the frames with the felt face up. Happy to get you some photos of all the beetles that get trapped on it.

Shane
Shane

Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Chux Wipes...
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2013, 10:20:04 pm »
Shane, I'd like to see some pictures of the trapped beetles and how you use the felt backed vinyl.  Is this a type of upholstery material?  Do the bees get tangled in the felt as they do in the chux?

After roughing up the chux/Scrub Buddies some I can tell how it'll grab small barbed things....just rubbing my finger on the fuzzed material causes it to snag on the roughness...my wife would say I needed some lotion.  :roll:

Sure, send some pictures on....

Thanks!
Ed
www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Chux Wipes...
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2013, 10:29:36 pm »
Hi Ed, the chux is a great idea but it seems like a bit of trouble if you are using it with an inner cover and then trying to hold it down.

I forgot to respond to this part, Shane.  Actually, what I figure on doing is simply laying the wipe on top of the inner cover after cutting a hole in it for the feeder hole.  I figure a piece of wire formed into a ring and laid on top of the wipe where it's closest to the hole will be good enough...the rest of the wipe can lay as it will.  I just want the wipe held down right around the hole so the beetles will have to encounter the wipe regardless if they go under or over it to get to the feeder/escape hole.  Naturally the telescoping cover will go on top...the wipe sandwiched in between the two covers.

Ed
www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Offline ShaneJ

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Re: Chux Wipes...
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2013, 05:31:38 am »
I'll get some pictures for you Ed. Its Vinyl flooring material that I use. The bees don't get trapped in it at all but the beetles sure do.
Shane

Offline dermot

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Re: Chux Wipes...
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2013, 11:00:21 am »
there's a chance you might be over-thinking this. The great advantage of using the wipes is that they are cheap and easy. By placing them between boxes you take advantage of the bees tendency to chase and harass the beetles until they find sanctuary on the wipes and then can't escape -stuck there until they starve or get squashed by a hive tool. Without a handi/chux wipe in the hives here ( a fairly dry cool climate) the bees seem to be able to manage to coexist with a half dozen or so beetles in a hive and no signs of larvae. I'd reckon this is only possible (the lack of larvae) if the bees harassment is so bad that the beetles don't get a chance to stop anywhere long enough to lay, so I'd reckon you want the wipes where the bees are actively chasing beetles rather than isolated from them. If you were to try some wipes between boxes and some isolated above the bees I'd be keen to see which produces the best result in a month or 2 if you're willing to report back?

  On the question of folding the wipes over, I only do that to reduce the footprint and allow greater bee movement. I don't find any beetles seeking shelter between the folds.

  The only time I have seen larvae able to develop here is when I have done a cut-out or removed bees from a possum or bird box, and put cutout brood onto empty frames. The first week after transfer seems to be a danger period for larvae and has me thinking that the breakdown of society within the super-organism of the hive leaves an opening in the defences that the beetles take advantage of.   

Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Chux Wipes...
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2013, 06:08:20 pm »
Howdy, dermot.  Thanks for the feedback, especially in regards to the folding of the wipes, the reason you gave is the only thing I could come up with...not creating a large barrier for the bees to have to circumvent.  My intended use for the wipes is somewhat different from ya'll's normal use, though.  I've been satisfied with the Beetle Jail Juniors that I've been using for "in hive" traps.  Hopefully the ISOT will take care of bottom entry of beetles.   My problem has been figuring out what to do about preventing beetles from entering through the inner and telescoping covers that I use on the majority of my hives.  If the wipes do catch beetles I think an obstacle course consisting of a sheet or two of the wiopes laying between the two covers will cause lots of beetles to get caught before they ever get inside the hive.  Between bottom, middle, and top traps I'm hoping to leave the bees with only a few beetles to handle....leaving more bees for other hive work.

Good thoughts on reasons for shb to take over struggling hives.  I think the bees are busy repairing comb, building new comb, foraging or storing syrup, etc., and the beetles do indeed get a foothold and things then go down hill fast.

I'm hoping in the morning to insert some of the wipes into space on top of the inner cover.

Ed
www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Offline RC

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Re: Chux Wipes...
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2013, 08:25:10 am »
Hey,Ed.
I'm very interested how this turns out, if you can post or pm.

Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Chux Wipes...
« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2013, 12:13:36 pm »
I'll definitely post how this works out, RC.   I hope it's a success!

Ed
www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra

Offline max2

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Re: Chux Wipes...
« Reply #10 on: April 14, 2013, 05:03:00 am »
Any update on this? I tried them and found to many dead bees and stopped...

Offline Intheswamp

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Re: Chux Wipes...
« Reply #11 on: April 14, 2013, 11:08:47 am »
 :-\  So far nothing overly positive to report.  I discovered a couple of beetles beneath the wipe around the escape hole of a weak hive yesterday...I was robbing an empty super off of it to put around some feed jars for a new swarm I picked up yesterday.  The beetles certainly navigated their way beneath the wipe.  I haven't ruled the wipes out, though, I'll give it some more time.  I'm thinking that it needs something to hold the wipe snugged down to the inner cover...I'm thinking just a small chain so that it will lay flat over any wrinkles in the wipe or whatever.  Still letting the "experiment" run... :)

Ed
www.beeweather.com 
American blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world.  320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror".  Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA.  But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev

"Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they wont come to yours." - Yogi Berra