Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Ben Framed on July 20, 2018, 09:13:56 AM

Title: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
Post by: Ben Framed on July 20, 2018, 09:13:56 AM
I'm just curious, can anyone tell me how deep does hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground? Also what can be used, if anything, to kill the larvae that has already burrowed into the ground? Thanks Phillip
Title: Re: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
Post by: Sputnik on July 20, 2018, 10:49:58 AM
No idea on how deep. Under my hives I have used nematodes to attack the larva. I have also used gaurdstar if you want to use poison. I'm moving away from poison with my bees and garden. I get enough poison in processed food already.
Title: Re: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
Post by: Ben Framed on July 20, 2018, 10:54:43 AM
Quote from: Sputnik on July 20, 2018, 10:49:58 AM
No idea on how deep. Under my hives I have used nematodes to attack the larva. I have also used gaurdstar if you want to use poison. I'm moving away from poison with my bees and garden. I get enough poison in processed food already.

Thanks Sputnik, what are you moving to inorder to get away from the poison for the hive beetle?
Title: Re: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
Post by: AR Beekeeper on July 20, 2018, 11:45:54 AM
How deep the larvae burrow into the soil depends on the soil type.  They are known to go 4 inches in soft soils, the ones I have seen in my beeyard were an inch or less.  The soil is hard clay and rock.
Title: Re: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
Post by: paus on July 20, 2018, 12:30:54 PM
I use a roofing material under my hives and incorporate DE in the soil around the edges, so that any larvae that crawls off the material will burrow in the soil with DE mixed in it.
Title: Re: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
Post by: Sputnik on July 20, 2018, 12:46:12 PM
Quote from: Ben Framed on July 20, 2018, 10:54:43 AM
Quote from: Sputnik on July 20, 2018, 10:49:58 AM
No idea on how deep. Under my hives I have used nematodes to attack the larva. I have also used gaurdstar if you want to use poison. I'm moving away from poison with my bees and garden. I get enough poison in processed food already.

Thanks Sputnik, what are you moving to inorder to get away from the poison for the hive beetle?
Screened bottoms with oil pans.
Title: Re: How deep do hive beetle larvae burrow into the ground?
Post by: paus on July 20, 2018, 12:49:43 PM
I use the oil pans also and I see very few SHB, BUT their time is not quite here yet.  Not in NE TX.