Well, I lost a hive today to the beetles!It was a cut out I did about 1 week ago and I did see a few beetles while I was working on the vac and cut out but never dreamed they would kill the hive as fast as they did.
Cut outs are always a mess!Trap outs are better but no queen usually in the trap out!
When a hive is weak the mites and beetles will take over!tHEY WERE HUNDREDS OF LARVE!They must have already laid the eggs in the comb before I started to cutout.
I took all their combs and burned them and hauled the ashes to the dump washed the frames in bleach and put them in the hot sun next they will be frozen for a few days!UGH What a slimy mess the beetles make!
I feel for you. I lost a nuc last year. Not enough bees to cover frames. It is a nasty mess.
Blacksheep,
Did you give the bees their honey?
Jim
+1 on what Jim asked.....banding honey frames into a cutout box can lead to this. Bees are so distracted reattaching comb and fixing the apocalyptic destruction perpetrated on their homes they sort of ignore normal beetle defense protocol on honey and nectar laden comb in preference for brood comb repair and the beetles can get in there and wreak havoc quickly.
Hi Guys!I did leave some honey which was around the brood areas might be where the Beetle eggs were. Next time I will No put any of the stuff in the new hive and treat them like a swarm and feed them probably put some drawn comb in the box along with foundation.
I did a cut out earlier about 2 weeks before this one and they are doing well.Over head cut out are really hard to do in my opinion.The one I did with the other was a verticle cut out in a wall which was mush easier!Trap out are lots better!!