Welcome, Guest
Login or Register
Home
« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: SHB?  (Read 2422 times)

Offline crane

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 21
  • Gender: Male
SHB?
« on: June 17, 2013, 03:30:09 pm »
One of my hives is losing numbers quickly. On inspection all seemed normal except I saw probably 10 to twenty beetles in the top frames of the super . The super was almost drawn out but with no capped comb to speak of.
 Seems I need to eradicate the beetles.
Will the beetles cause a reduction in numbers? What should I do to get rid of the little bastages?
 I guess I should go into the brood chambers and check my queen since I didn't go any further after I found the beetles. I also figure I will have to treat my other hive as well.

Any advice would be appreciated.
Logged

Offline hardwood

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 3482
  • Gender: Male
  • Alysian Apiaries youtube.com/MrBeedude
Re: SHB?
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2013, 03:40:14 pm »
The beetles aren't causing the reduction in population but are taking advantage of it to gain a foothold. Once they do they can take over the hive quickly. You need to find out the reason for the reduction in numbers and limit the space that the bees can't cover. There are lots of different types of traps that can help with beetle problems but since I don't use any of them I really can't advise.

Scott
Logged
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Offline Nico

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 95
  • Gender: Male
Re: SHB?
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2013, 07:05:51 pm »
Hi Crane ,
There is an excellent SHB trap in the form of a mat. Similar to a piece of linoleum, smooth vinyl on one side and a furry backing on the other. The mat hangs furry side against the side of the super and entangles the beetle when the bees chase it. The mat has a piece of metal crimped over the top edge to enable it to be supported similar to a frame.
I saw one yesterday and it must of had 100  dead beetles trapped, Simply brush off the dead beetles , rough up the mat and reinsert it.
Nico
Logged

Offline sc-bee

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2985
Re: SHB?
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2013, 08:25:13 pm »
Quote from: Nico on June 17, 2013, 07:05:51 pm
Hi Crane ,
There is an excellent SHB trap in the form of a mat. Similar to a piece of linoleum, smooth vinyl on one side and a furry backing on the other. The mat hangs furry side against the side of the super and entangles the beetle when the bees chase it. The mat has a piece of metal crimped over the top edge to enable it to be supported similar to a frame.
I saw one yesterday and it must of had 100  dead beetles trapped, Simply brush off the dead beetles , rough up the mat and reinsert it.
Nico

And this furry trap can be found where? Crane- check the disease and pest forum, more than you care to know about SHB.

Logged
John 3:16

Offline Billybee

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 86
  • Gender: Male
    • My myspace page for beekeeping
Re: SHB?
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2013, 08:37:23 pm »
#1 What Hardwood said!
SHB are the main reason I went foundationless after my first beekeeping experience. I do my best to give them no opportunity to get in to begin with. Entrance 3/4x1/2. There's never a jam up. When I got into beekeeping the bees were getting in through a tiny hole in the morter between the stones then going up into the patio ceiling and that hive was huge.
The comb being covered in bees is critical. Foundation filled frames (M B's site) gave the bees a place to be other than on comb. That's when the SHB gets in and starts working its magic. Then its on quick!!!!

There is nothing like watching maggot looking larve pour out of your hive. I don't use traps because I havent needed one since I changed my focus to the SHB but, would if needed. I have not seen SHB in any of the 3 hives I have so far this season but, my friend close by has. Do everything you can afford to do.

Good luck with the fight against them..
 
Logged
Can somebody tell me where I can find a foundation tree?

Offline Nico

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 95
  • Gender: Male
Re: SHB?
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2013, 02:25:44 am »
The Beetle Mat (hanging style) obtained from several Aussie beekeeping equipment suppliers
Check out product catalogue.
www.qualityBeekeepingSupplies.com.au
www.burnettbeekeepingsupplies.com.au
Nico
Logged

Offline Jim134

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 3054
  • Gender: Male
    • Franklin County Beekeepers Association
Re: SHB?
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2013, 06:48:45 am »
Quote from: Billybee on June 17, 2013, 08:37:23 pm
#1 What Hardwood said!
SHB are the main reason I went foundationless after my first beekeeping experience. I do my best to give them no opportunity to get in to begin with. Entrance 3/4x1/2. There's never a jam up. When I got into beekeeping the bees were getting in through a tiny hole in the morter between the stones then going up into the patio ceiling and that hive was huge.
The comb being covered in bees is critical. Foundation filled frames (M B's site) gave the bees a place to be other than on comb. That's when the SHB gets in and starts working its magic. Then its on quick!!!!

There is nothing like watching maggot looking larve pour out of your hive. I don't use traps because I havent needed one since I changed my focus to the SHB but, would if needed. I have not seen SHB in any of the 3 hives I have so far this season but, my friend close by has. Do everything you can afford to do.

Good luck with the fight against them..
 
Billybee...........

Do you really believe that foundationless keeps away SHB  :?  
I would like to hear more about this.





                 BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Logged
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
 John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

Offline kanga

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 134
  • Gender: Male
Re: SHB?
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2013, 06:50:10 am »
Quote from: Nico on June 18, 2013, 02:25:44 am
The Beetle Mat (hanging style) obtained from several Aussie beekeeping equipment suppliers
Check out product catalogue.
www.qualityBeekeepingSupplies.com.au
www.burnettbeekeepingsupplies.com.au
Nico
Nico, I also use the mats but the only problem is Crane is from South Central Texas & dc-bee is from Edgefield South Carolina and I don't think the mats are available in the States.
Kevin
Logged

Offline Nico

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 95
  • Gender: Male
Re: SHB?
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2013, 07:24:00 am »
Kev,
maybe room for an Australian export, I don't know what they have in that line in the states.
Nico.   
Logged

Offline crane

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 21
  • Gender: Male
Re: SHB?
« Reply #9 on: June 18, 2013, 02:33:59 pm »
Nico and Kanga Thanks for the info, I will check it out ASAP.
I went ahead and removed my super from the hive to cut down on space the bees have to defend. Still have one super on the hive and if the trend continues I will remove it also. Bees aren't covering the brood boxes and one super but is a lot better today. Here is hoping they can rebound soon.

Cheers Mates!
W

P>S> Thanks for all the help also guys. Cheers to you as well.
Logged

Offline D Coates

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1231
  • Gender: Male
Re: SHB?
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2013, 03:15:58 pm »
http://www.qualitybeekeepingsupplies.com.au/index.php/catalogue-2/44-beetle-traps/221-beetle-mat-trap-hanging-style  Well that's pretty cool.  Simple, inexpensive, reusable, thin, chemical free, apparently effective.  I'm surprised no one here in the US is offering it if it works as well as claimed.  While I do have SHB's I don't currently have troubles with them once I moved my hives to full sun.  However, swarms and nucs that I keep in the shade is where I see them the most.  I'll try to find a few to buy and bring back when I'm in Australia in mid August.
Logged
Ninja, is not in the dictionary.  Well played Ninja's, well played...

Offline Joe D

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2246
  • Gender: Male
Re: SHB?
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2013, 05:09:27 pm »
Billy bee it doesn't matter the type hive, SHB's don't care.  I have Langs and TBHs, I usually see one or two beetles, those numbers the bees can control.  This year is different here, weather, flow and etc.  I had a TBH that the queen swarmed, didn't have a queen cell either.  Number got down quick and some SHBs moved in.  Took out several frames of honey and froze.  Got the hive going and when numbers got back up added frozen honey back.  Good luck to you and your bees.

Crane, there are oil trays between frames and under SBB, also roach traps, DVD cases.  Check if you have a queen and that she is laying.  Reduce the space they have to protect until their numbers get better.  Good luck


Joe
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »
 

anything