I've been searching this & other forums & U.S.D.A. sites for info on these beetles.
What are y'all finding to work the best?
I have 3 hives & bought 1 standard, 1 screened, & 1 screened with beetle trap tray bottom board. i bought different types to round out my knowledge of hives. the screened is nearly identical to the beetle trap board so I can add a tray. before installing it i made a pattern for the beetle trap model so i can duplicate it. I have seen a few ( i'm sure they came with my nucs ) but i do not seem to be overly bothered by them YET which is why i want to take some action before they do become a serious problem. will cooking oil work as well as mineral oil in the trays? the beetle eater brushy mountain sells looks like a good possibility
i am also treating the soil around the hives with diatomaceous earth. are there better ways to treat the soil?
Check the disease and pest section of the forum. You may find some answers to some of your questions there.
I have been using olive oil and it works fine in the beetle eater traps that hang between the frames. I prefer olive oil as it is not in any way toxic if I spill it. The oil is for them to drown in, not be poisoned.
it sounds like any oil will work. i'll try some cheapo vegetable oil from costco. my extra virgin olive oil is a bit pricey for drowning beetles. i hate using poisons but may treat the soil one time to kill larva. the diatomcaceous earth needs replaced often but i will use it as a follow up. it works well for other pest as well. I used to use rotonone but it's become hard to find.