Is there an instant kill measure? I've been spraying with boiling water, but of course off comes the wax.
Shall I freeze the whole box? What's the best clean up?
Freezing is a great option (if you have the freezer space) as it kills all stages of the SHB - eggs, larvae and beetle.
After being in the freezer, defrost, wash down with water, dry/air out, then give back to the bees.
The solution to the small hive beetles is to place your hives in all day sunlight. You still will get a few in some of your hives, but you can kill them when you do your hive inspections.
This was told to me by Jerry at Dadant in High Springs, Fl. He works with the University of Florida in Gainesville.
It works!!! I have never lost a hive or nuc due to the shb.
Larry
This may be your solution, but may be a little different to the solution required to us here - our summers are very hot and very humid - full sun in the middle of summer will melt the hive down here in Queensland.
......There is newer self contained product called apoithor(?) lasts a season or two and has been well researched as effective about $5 a pop. they can be ordered on the net.
There's no way I'd ever put
Fiprinol near my food!
make youself up some traps with CD covers, glue and dichotomus earth inside. The beetles crawl in away from the bees and sand themselves to death over time.
I think DE is a much better option, although with the high humidity up here in QLD both lime and DE clump together quickly. I have found mechanical traps with cooking oil the best solution so far.