SHB Long term management.

[Dakine]

Bad news. I just encountered what I think are SHB larvae. I only saw 2 but no doubt there's more. I haven't seen any adult beetles yet. I put a screen and vegie oil trap on the bottom.
What else can I do for long term care?

[Iddee]

Get the hive into full sunlight.

[bamabww]

Agree, full sunlight will do the trick. Been there done that and Iddee gave me the same advice.

[Dakine]

Agree, full sunlight will do the trick. Been there done that and Iddee gave me the same advice.

Thanks guys. Sounds easy. I guess it would be more difficult if you had a lot of hives. I only have one.

[vermillion]

Also make sure you have proper bee spacing and no empty frames at the outsides. the bees need to be able patrol the whole hive, and if the outside of the the end frames are empty, not as many bees will be on there watching out for SHB.

I found some in my weakest hive and added more brood and moved some frames around.

Good luck!!

[Dakine]

Also make sure you have proper bee spacing and no empty frames at the outsides. the bees need to be able patrol the whole hive, and if the outside of the the end frames are empty, not as many bees will be on there watching out for SHB.

I found some in my weakest hive and added more brood and moved some frames around.

Good luck!!

Do the bees kill the SHB or go after the larvae?

[vermillion]

I have seen them trying to grab the beetles, and because the beetles are adapted with a smooth shell, like a ladybug's, the bees cant grab them easily.The bees have a hard time killing the beetles, or even carrying them out, but they will herd them into little "beetle holding areas" and keep them there, or force them down to the screened bottom board, or into traps if you use them.

If they can, they will fly off with them, but I have never seen them actually kill one.I squished on on the landing board, and when a small ant got under it to move it, three bees instantly attacked it and they all ended up on the ground. Once the bees were satisfied it was dead, they went back up to the landing board. So, they are trying!!!

They will pull out the larvae they find and in trying to drag them out, they will fall through the screen as well, and into the oil.

[tecumseh]

a snip..
I only saw 2 but no doubt there's more.

tecumseh:
if only 2 I would not worry too much. where they originated from (inside the hive) would be something you need to consider. if they came from the comb itself and most especially any cells with pollen then proper heed should be taken that 2 can quite quickly become 200. if from between the wood to wood spaces in the hive (as in between top bars and bottom bars (where the bee space is just a bit too small) I myself don't get too concerned with seeing them there.

[vermillion]

BTW, my friend with the top bar hives says of all 11 he has on his property, by FAR the worse is the one closest to the banana trees. He is going to move it. He has seen them fly in from that stand of bananas. Its almost like a giant beetle trap, as the oil tray can have hundreds a week, but the rest, only a couple dozen...

[tecumseh]

curious observation vermillion... a lot of bug type traps that use a lure often have banana peels as part of the mix.

[srvfantexasflood]

I recently heard SHB like pears. It was suggested that bits of pear be placed in traps as a lure. I haven't seen any SHB this year, yet. If I suspect that there is a problem, I'm going to try the pear trick.

[Dbure]

I've been reading this post as well as some others on SHB problems. This morning I was shocked to find one of my hives completley decimated by these nasty things. Only about a month ago I was in that hive and everything seemed to be going well. My concern is toward my other hives where I am seeing these things run when I open their tops. Every hive has beetle traps in them, but yet the beetles seem to be getting worse. I'd move the hives to full sun if I had a place in my yard that gets it. Shade is great for my house but not for the bee's houses.

What suggestions if any do the more experienced keeps here have to insure these nasties don't kill my other hives short of cutting down trees in my yard to allow for sunlight? The traps I use are the ones that you fill with oil and place along the top bars of the frames. These seem to get filled up with beetles but still they are thriving.