The SHB, that is, finally took out my observation hive. :'(
They've tried for the last two spring and almost got them then, and I thought I was past it this year. They were ready to swarm, and there was at least two virgin queens that had hatched out. I figured that they would swarm (i think that they had practiced once but went back in) and then the beetles would hit, but I was wrong!
4 days of rain and 45F and colder after a beautiful warm spring. They ran out of food since they don't usually have much anyway. They got stressed out, then the tube got clogged. I fixed it and gave them some syrup, but by the time I realized what was happening, the worst had happened and they ignored the beetles laying eggs all over the place. Then the maggots (larvae) started burrowing out of the capped brood, and the bees HATE that, and were all huddled in one small area. There were beetle orgies going on in there. Seriously.
It was interesting though. Even though they could have left (by then it was nice out), they could have fought back, they could have ripped apart the brood like they did in the past infestations, they didn't. They gave up and just huddled there. I don't understand why not. Saturday I was going to clean it up and get them going again, but I really was hoping they'd take responsibility. Nope. By Monday morning half or more of the cluster was dead and writhing with maggots.
Monday night I cleaned it out. I set out a sheet and liberally sprinkled diatom earth not wanting the maggots to go to ground, and figuring the bees were lost. There was one tiny cluster of sad bees left. But looking back at the pile of dead bees, I noticed one bee on top, white with dust, that looked familiar. Yup, the old queen, still alive, tiny, scrawny, so perfect for a tiny hive. So I gently washed her off with some water and put her with the tiny cluster. She slowly crawled in and they started grooming her. Today, she was still there, bees were still grooming her. I know that DE is bad for them but we'll see what happens.
The hive is all clean now and ready to go.
In fact, that tiny cluster with a tiny queen...I shook a few extra bees from another hive on them, they have a few combs to sit on. If she starts laying again...then maybe she'll go back in. I'd like that, I've gotten a little sentimental. She's been around for 3 years now, I've spent a lot of time watching her. She's runty, but perfect for a cramped observation hive, especially after watching a couple of bulky virgin queens banging around in there, getting stuck.
While it was sad watching the crash, it was also very interesting observing the behaviour and what happens. And I'll get them going soon. If my little queen dies, well there are a couple of swarms that will probably build up that much faster.
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_afb0A-PMxhY/S_IEIQXhYrI/AAAAAAAACig/yqV1vjBITE0/s400/IMG_3910.JPG)
I'm thankful that SHB isn't a problem in my outdoor hives!!!
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_afb0A-PMxhY/S_IEKcP7O3I/AAAAAAAACik/xuWqKoV6utE/s400/IMG_3914.JPG)
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_afb0A-PMxhY/S_IEMZGGN9I/AAAAAAAACio/B4ET5EcRI1A/s400/IMG_3915.JPG)
My sons were gagging from the smell.
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_afb0A-PMxhY/S_IEOkshQVI/AAAAAAAACis/7q6VaTxRP_4/s400/IMG_3917.JPG)
They completely abandoned any comb that had beetles in it.
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_afb0A-PMxhY/S_IESEuBZsI/AAAAAAAACiw/oI041Y-IjPM/s400/IMG_3922.JPG)
All that was left...
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_afb0A-PMxhY/S_NO249DiMI/AAAAAAAACj0/-ngee-GuQLg/s400/IMG_3948.JPG)
You can see what a tiny little thing she is.
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_afb0A-PMxhY/S_NOz5eqSVI/AAAAAAAACjw/EloU1xM73GQ/s400/IMG_3949.JPG)
Very interesting.... Thanks for the info, and good luck with that little queen
that sucks. i have some wax moth in mine. first i have ever seen in any of my stuff.
this is my second batch of bees in the OB hive. it seems harder to maintain than an outside hive.
Sorry about that Rick but what a learning experience. Just today I took my observation hive (same as yours) into the glass company to have it fitted. Hopefully being so close to you I dont have the same problems but I most likely will. Good luck Dan
Other than about a month in the spring they've been easier than a full hive. They are at their most vulnerable to the beetles in the spring, and the warmth inside allows the beetles to explode, wheras outside it still gets too cool for them to mess with the regular hives.
I'm not too down, it was very interesting. I've got swarms coming out of my ears because of the early spring, so one of those will be going in soon. The little queen was gone this morning, so she's out of the picture.
I'm looking forward to getting a new batch going, though!
It always sucks to loose a colony scads, but you're right, that's a learning experience that few are exposed too. As much as I have to deal with those little bastards (can I say bastards in here?) and really can't tolerate the smell at all, I'd still like to learn more about them. I've got some in a glass box right now testing different attractants for them...I'll let you know how it turns out.
My biggest problem with the SHB is during trap outs. I put in a frame of eggs and open brood on day 2 usually and before the bees can cover the frame the hive beetles have already taken over.
Scott
Those look plain nasty. Too bad about the bees, good luck on the next ones!
When you lose a hive in that way (way gross), it really hurts and makes you really not want to go through that again. Cleaning up that mess is horrible, even with a pressure washer. I can normally clean up a hive with a scrapper and a blow torch, but when they are that gross, it makes you want to through the boxes in the woods for a couple of months.