Those gosh darn Small Hive Beetles overtook a newly created Nuc. Kinda early for the beetles in these parts, normal is June thru September. Yes, the nuc was a weak hive, one of three I just created two weeks ago. The other two nucs are fine as are my other strong hives.
Days of constant rain prohibited my nuc inspections. When the weather cleared I checked this particular nuc due to lack of entrance activity. What a stinky mess, the beetle larva was after the capped brood and destroyed 3 frames of a 5 frame nuc. The bees isolated to protect the queen on the 5th frame.
I quickly bagged the infested frames and larva on the bottom board, sealed the bag, then placed the sealed bag in the freezer. The infested frames are now frozen trash.
I did not lose a single frame to small hive beetles last year. Now, early May and already lost a nuc. Oh the queen is fine, she was placed in another newly created nuc. However, give ya one guess what the weather is doing, yep, raining, like all day and 50% chance of rain everyday the next 15 days. So I will just do the best I can. Can?t believe the weather person anyway. There will be some sunshine.
All Good Things.
Van
Don't know about clouds, but SHB love shade and hate sun. I have never lost a frame nor hive from SHB. I keep all hives in full sun.
Van,
Sorry to hear that. Don?t throw the frames away, just use a hose to wash out the mesh.
Jim Altmiller
That?s rough Mr Van especially this early. Sorry for the loss.
Phillip
Hate to hear that.
Quote from: iddee on May 08, 2019, 09:10:14 PM
Don't know about clouds, but SHB love shade and hate sun. I have never lost a frame nor hive from SHB. I keep all hives in full sun.
Well of course I have 3 hives in half day sun!!
Good luck Arky
Van, we hate to lose hives but the weak don't make it and the strong live on. What is hard to explain is when the strong don't make it.
Just had to clean up a mess in my yard, hive #1 didn't requeen after swarming and pretty much crashed when I was on vacation. Ended up with a hive full of SHB larva. Caught most of the larva in the tray under the SBB and treated the ground under the hive with ground drench to kill any that got away to break their life cycle.
Seems the warmer winter didn't reduce the SHB population like a freeze during winter does and they are coming back in strength earlier this year. :(
Sorry about your nuc loss, ants got one of mine last month.