Are those traps with oil in them worth the money?
To me no. They are a pain in the neck, constantly spilling oil in the hives during inspection. My beetles love to hide under them more than go in them. When I used them, I would open the hive and start crushing down on the top to kill all of the SHBs under them. A good oil tray under your hives will kill thousands of beetles every month.
Jim
Thanks
ditto on the oil tray under your hives. www.greenbeehives.com up in Trussville has different options for buying them. I buy the metal pans from them and build the rest. You can also buy the whole thing.
Use micro fiber sheets
I used the micro sheets and the bees propolized them to the frames and to the bottom. This took a lot of resources for the bees, and time for me to remove, plus several bees were stuck in the sheets and this seemed to make the bees contrary. I'm sticking with the dsbb and oil. This is many times more effective than the sheets counting the SHB caught in the micro VS the oil pan. The first day I used oil pan in one hive I caught 24 SHB and numerous larva, plus the bees don't know you are removing the oil pan or empting the used oil.
Quote from: paus on February 05, 2017, 11:30:52 AM
I used the micro sheets and the bees propolized them to the frames and to the bottom. This took a lot of resources for the bees, and time for me to remove, plus several bees were stuck in the sheets and this seemed to make the bees contrary. I'm sticking with the dsbb and oil. This is many times more effective than the sheets counting the SHB caught in the micro VS the oil pan. The first day I used oil pan in one hive I caught 24 SHB and numerous larva, plus the bees don't know you are removing the oil pan or empting the used oil.
I'll stick with the sheets:
- Have been effective for me
-Waste of resources... really?
- Cleaning them up or out, small price to pay
- Not messy like oil
- Cheap
Just me ... to each his own :wink:
I think we are mentally seeing different pictures. I do not use oil in the hive I place cookie sheets under or rather between the screens and the DSBB has a door in rear. I usually leave the cookie sheet until the oil is thick with trash, SHB, and larva. I slip the tray out and pour the oil into a 5 gallon bucket, no mess at all, partially replace the cookie sheet, fill with oil then slide the sheet in, close door, done. It catches hundreds of SHB in some hives. I moved the hives I had in the shade to a more sunny location, That helped also. Water and detergent is just as effective but I have to top up the pan every few days in summer. I use old restaurant cooking, free, and use the used oil to start fires if that is appropriate in your area
Quote from: paus on February 05, 2017, 04:48:33 PM
I think we are mentally seeing different pictures.
Nope no mental picture... I actually have a couple West Traps... somewhere???? And also hive count figures in $$$ at least for me..... But as you said they are very effective..
Tried everything. The most effective for has been the screened bottom board with the oil trays. We had terrible shb last year until built sbb with oil trays and moved the hives into full sun.
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