Ok, well, I ended up making some simple shade covers for my hives. Basically a tic-tac-toe framework with some weedbarrier fabric stapled to it. Seems to work pretty good except in *really* high winds. :roll: So far my beetle numbers are mysteriously still very low. This picture was taken a few minutes past noon. As you can see, there isn't shade as you would find in a stand of trees, but rather enough to shade the sides of the hives and naturally a small amount of ground. The shade covers keep the sun from bearing down on the hives and ground around the hives...it doesn't have a chance of staying moist there...unless of course it's raining. ;) I'm keeping my eyes open for an increase in beetles, but so far (and we're over a month out with these covers) the beetles numbers are still very low...they've been low all year. :idunno:
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n153/intheswamp00/Honey%20Bees/Bottom%20board%20with%20slit%20modification/IMG_4036appLarge_zps84d3f8b6.jpg)
...and a shot of hive row.
(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n153/intheswamp00/Honey%20Bees/Bottom%20board%20with%20slit%20modification/IMG_3602aLarge_zps5a0bee02.jpg)
FWIW,
Ed
Ed,
I do not think that will bee enough shade to invite SHBs. I have one hive in full sun that, I suspect swarmed and then, suddenly was swarmed with SHBs. Sun does not always protect the hives. I have 12 hives in shade and right now they have very few SHBs. That recently has at times seriously changed for brief periods. The SHBs react to hive stress and will swarm that hive that is stress. Swarming is very stressful.
Jim
I didn't think it would be too much shade, but shading the hives when against the grain of common thought. So far shading hasn't caused a problem with beetles. But, if suddenly I get loaded up with beetles will I be able to tell if it's because it's the shade covers or simply the beetle population exploding? :-\ This summer I've seen the lowest number of beetles in my three summers of beekeeping. I just hope it stays that way and I don't have to figure out whether the shade covers mattered in regards to beetles.
Stress...I agree. Seems if anything stresses the bees then there is another creature waiting to benefit the situation...wax moths, beetles, robbers,...
I'm keeping an eye on them.
Ed
I have found for me hives in full sun work best to keep pests down...... I have hardly had any hive beetles in my SHB traps or hive until August....
I am located in North, MS.