Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DOWN UNDER BEEKEEPING => Topic started by: tina on April 20, 2011, 06:10:36 pm

Title: DE beetle traps
Post by: tina on April 20, 2011, 06:10:36 pm

I installed 1 trap yesterday but no SHB in it this morning.  How long do they take to work?

Title: Re: DE beetle traps
Post by: hardwood on April 20, 2011, 09:44:00 pm

Are you speaking of the ramp style DE traps (piece of thin wood with DE glued underneath)?? I tried them last year and found them to be somewhat effective. Not 100% but they did a pretty good job over all.

This type of device doesn't actually trap the beetles. When the beetles attempt to hide beneath it their antennae are cut which disorients them. They then either desiccate from the cuts or become easier targets for the bees to force from the hive. Don't expect to see masses of dead beetles (although you may find little bits of them scattered around). Instead, look for a general lessening of their population.

Hope this helps,

Scott

Title: Re: DE beetle traps
Post by: tina on April 20, 2011, 10:56:55 pm

No these are black plastic traps with Diatomaceous Absorbacide included for each trap the beetles go in and eat the poison

Title: Re: DE beetle traps
Post by: hardwood on April 20, 2011, 11:10:46 pm

Now that sounds like an effective trap! I'm not familiar with them...could you post a link?

Scott

Title: Re: DE beetle traps
Post by: AllenF on April 20, 2011, 11:26:45 pm

Diatomaceous Absorbacide is just a brand name of DE.     http://www.petandgarden.com.au/browse/print.asp?ProdID=132281 (http://www.petandgarden.com.au/browse/print.asp?ProdID=132281)  Beetles don't eat DE but I would like to see a link of the trap.

Title: Re: DE beetle traps
Post by: tina on April 20, 2011, 11:42:46 pm

i bought them from sales@honeybee.com.au
it's a Brisbane firm   i don't know how to link sorry
have just lifted out a few super frames and after I put the lid back on there were 5 beetles in the trap   all laying on their backs kicking

Title: Re: DE beetle traps
Post by: tina on April 20, 2011, 11:48:57 pm

the address is www.honeybee.com.au (http://www.honeybee.com.au)  or another brisbane firm with the traps is quality beekeeping supplies

Title: Re: DE beetle traps
Post by: Grieth on April 21, 2011, 02:19:03 am

My AJ Beetle trap took a week or two - guess it took time for the beetles and bees to find it as it relies on the bees chasing the beetles, and the beetles looking for a small dark place to hide.

Title: Re: DE beetle traps
Post by: tina on April 21, 2011, 02:30:57 am

i have been checking the traps every hour today and more beetles each time   might be the heat today or lifting the lid and letting light in   also i put a drop of cockroach paste in each trap so that might be attracting them

Title: Re: DE beetle traps
Post by: AllenF on April 21, 2011, 09:23:54 pm

http://www.honeybee.com.au/catalogue/DETrapsL.htm (http://www.honeybee.com.au/catalogue/DETrapsL.htm)

Sweet design there.

Title: Re: DE beetle traps updte
Post by: tina on April 22, 2011, 05:48:52 pm

I'm finding the beetles death throes can puff some of the dust up through the top holes where the bees can get it     so overnight tried just sugar syrup in the trap and had 4 beetles this morning

Title: Re: DE beetle traps
Post by: Lone on April 23, 2011, 09:15:58 am

Do you put the DE Beetle Traps on top of the frames like the AJ or underneath?
Lone

Title: Re: DE beetle traps
Post by: tina on April 23, 2011, 05:39:11 pm

they slide in on the bottom board

Title: Re: DE beetle traps
Post by: Grieth on May 03, 2011, 08:38:25 am

I found another great idea for beetle control at http://www.beehacker.com/wp/?p=131. (http://www.beehacker.com/wp/?p=131.)

Apparently nematodes kill the lavae when they go to the soil to pupate.  I think that the nematodes he suggests are a different species to the ones that mess with your tomato plants.  Sounds like a great idea. If my hives weren't on tiles I would try it.

You probably still need traps for the ones that fly in, but if it works it would really keep the numbers around a hive very low.