Welcome to the forums timtex, sorry to hear about the honey crop 
Anyone been wrecked by SHB?
Gotta' admit, small hive beetle has pretty much ruined me this year, all splits are gone, poor honey crop ruined..just a mess. Feeling pretty glum about the whole thing these days. Anyone one else?
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They haven't wrecked me yet, but I have seen a few in my hives, I plan on trying some of the new things coming out from Dadant beekeeing supplies, the kind you put cookng oil in. Beekeeping is sure is not for the faint of heart. hang in there.
Best thing I've found so far for SHB is move the hives into direct sunlight. I still see one from time to time but nothing like I had seen in hives that were in the shade
Sunlight just does not seem to work for me...yes, it did delay the destruction but if it was to happen, it did anyway. 40 carried over hives gone, 30 attempted splits and not one survived. Cutouts I did would make it a week and would then abscond. I bought 20 new Queens this year and of them, one made it.
Homesteadergal, last year, I saw just a few beetles but everything I read said if the hives were healthy, probably not a big issue. My hives were ok, perhaps not booming but strong enough. I was not major worried. Then, in May (this year), once it was settled and warm...bam! Like within a couple weeks, near everything was destroyed. It was amazing (and awfull). I pulled frames that were actually squirming with those filthy larva. It looked like a garbage can left out on a summer day with rotting meat. Maggots just boiling.
I guess what I am trying to say is that if this is the first year you have seen them, be super ready next spring- they may hit you like a ton of bricks like they did this year with me. Like you, I am looking into what might be best as far as traps go, the oil ones ect. I have realized that unless I do something to control them, beekeeping is over for me!
One thing I have learned is to wait till the last minut to super them, a tight hive seems to be the only way to keep them from invading. I am pushing all my remaining hives down to one box this winter.
I am half tempted to let all the hives just die off this winter just to break the cycle of the beetles and start over with package bees- not my favorit but I think maybe less likely to bring beetles back. I was SHB free untill I bought some Nucs (from a guy in VZ county no less!, lol) last spring.
I am really going to have to re-think this whole thing! I have so much money tied up in it!
Homesteadergal, last year, I saw just a few beetles but everything I read said if the hives were healthy, probably not a big issue. My hives were ok, perhaps not booming but strong enough. I was not major worried. Then, in May (this year), once it was settled and warm...bam! Like within a couple weeks, near everything was destroyed. It was amazing (and awfull). I pulled frames that were actually squirming with those filthy larva. It looked like a garbage can left out on a summer day with rotting meat. Maggots just boiling.
I guess what I am trying to say is that if this is the first year you have seen them, be super ready next spring- they may hit you like a ton of bricks like they did this year with me. Like you, I am looking into what might be best as far as traps go, the oil ones ect. I have realized that unless I do something to control them, beekeeping is over for me!
One thing I have learned is to wait till the last minut to super them, a tight hive seems to be the only way to keep them from invading. I am pushing all my remaining hives down to one box this winter.
I am half tempted to let all the hives just die off this winter just to break the cycle of the beetles and start over with package bees- not my favorit but I think maybe less likely to bring beetles back. I was SHB free untill I bought some Nucs (from a guy in VZ county no less!, lol) last spring.
I am really going to have to re-think this whole thing! I have so much money tied up in it!
I posted what worked for me under natural beekeeping on this board. AJs beetle traps. There are a few tips in that post that you should read if you go for them. They are the traps that use veg oil. Every hive I have seen down here has some beetles in them but if you keep them under control with these traps you can still enjoy your bees. Good luck
Sorry all, I have to say that I'm counting my blessings becuase I've not seen a single one here.
i also use the aj's beetle eater,i had my hives in a shady bottom and i moved the one i have left over to my cutover in full sun,they seem happier there,and i havent seen any beetles since
All of mine are in full sun, using AJ's Beetle Eaters and some West SHB Traps. SHBs in all hives and catching some all along. But so far have not been doing significant damage. Trying to keep the Bees crowded seems to help the most.
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