Hi all, I'm new to beekeeping and enjoying the interest, I have Top Bar Hive and I have noticed a few Small Hive Beetles can someone point me in the right direction regarding managing this problem ? Regards Barkking.
Welcome to the forum....there are a ton of ways to manage the little buggers besides "smooshing" them but they depend on your apiary setup and specific situation. You are going to get tons of good advice but some of it may not apply to you. Personally I make the ground under the hives unsuitable for the larval stage of the beetles life cycle and use screened bottom boards.....other ways might be better for you.
Might be best to repost in the question in the Down-under Beekeeping section so you can get feedback from other Southern Hemisphere beeks familiar with Aussie climate and best practices.
My first nuc had a defective queen, (Deformed wing virus) she never maid a maiden flight. SHB destroyed that hive as soon as the number of bees was too low to protect the hive. Keep the follower board in close to where the bees are. That way they can protect the space they have. When they cover the comb then add a new top board.
When you you are in the hive, kill all of the SHB that you see. It does make a difference.
Making the soil below the hive unsuitable for the larvae to pupate does help but most of the SHBs that enter your hive have come from miles away from your hive. They can smell it from a long way off. Keep your entrance small.
Jim
Welcome to the forum. Lots of friendly and knowledgeable people here.
Thank you all for the welcome and the tips regarding ground prep, entrance size and follower board also taking it up with my local group, I'm most appreciative of the advice , regards Barkking
What's a follower board?
Hi Richard, the follower board is a moveable divider that allows the expansion of the comb area as the colony progresses, cheers
Welcome to the forum
Welcome
Hello Newbee Aussie from another aussie from the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.
Regarding hive beetle. Using one of the fluffy chux type dishcloths on top of the hive mat tends to trap the beetle in the fluffy strands, making them easier to detect and kill them. The fluffier the bees make it, the better it works.
Safe for the bees and a cheap way to treat the problem beetle.
Hope this helps.
Welcome from another Aussie from the Sunny North - didn't think SHB like the cold :wink: