at out bee club meeting we were told by the speaker another method of controlling SHB.
with a bar coaster (place only (3 drops per hive) of wintergreen oil)). then placed on top of the brood frames only. beetels dislike wintergreen oil and will leave
More than 3 drops and your bees will leave too!
one must treat all your hives as this doesn't kill the beetels, and they will leave for the next untreated box
my friend thinks this may also affect varroa mites
Will be interesting to find out. Who's gonna be the first to try and walk the 3 drop line risking absconding? Let us know if it works. I hate those little bastards. G
I don't know how effective that will be. When you start trying to walk that line of adding something the bees hate, I get nervous. I use beetle blasters with an attractant that kills the beetles. Works better than oil. They die in the trap. I found a trap last season that was 2/3rds full of dead beetles. The bees don't seem to care about the traps at all.
what is the range of the beetle? I've never seen any. Have they made it up north or is this just a southern thing?
Here is a link to some very good information on the Small Hive Beetle including their ranges.
http://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/FSA-7075.pdf
Quote from: hilltophermit on March 08, 2015, 05:02:39 PM
what is the range of the beetle? I've never seen any. Have they made it up north or is this just a southern thing?
Would you like some....trying to get rid of some at a bargain price :shocked:
Thank you capt, very good information. Hope i never need it.... :)
sc, thank you for the offer.... i think i'll pass....:)