A newbees First inspection ... SHB

mroark · May 08, 2012, 11:53:31 PM

Got my gear today and finally got into the my hives to take out the feeder and inspect the frames. I only got into one today as I ran out of daylight. I didn't find the queen and didn't see any larva. I did see some cells that protruded beyond the comb but didn't really look like what I've seen to be queen cells. I did however find one comb full of hive beetles. It was the left most frame in the hive, full of uncapped honey on one side and completely barren on the side with most of the beetles. I removed that frame from the hive and moved all the other frames over. I replaced it and the feeder with new frames and added a 9th frame and closed the hive back up.

The other hive looks much better, lots more bees. I didnt get a chance to inspect the frames (it got dark on me but when i pulled the lid off the bees had built comb that was full of honey all the way up to the lid. I'll give it a once over tomorrow morning.

What should I do about the hive with beetles?

applebwoi · May 09, 2012, 12:30:15 AM

How many boxes make up your hive? Is it a new hive this year and if not, why are you feeding at this time of year? I didn't notice, are you up north? Please give a few more details about your set up. Also, don't worry about finding the queen everytime. If she's active, you will be able to find brood easily and if you do you'll know she is alive and well. Luckily I've never had much trouble with hive beetles, but the only time I had beetles in my hive it was associated with a feeder.

mroark · May 09, 2012, 12:43:44 AM

Quote from: applebwoi on May 09, 2012, 12:30:15 AM
How many boxes make up your hive? Is it a new hive this year and if not, why are you feeding at this time of year? I didn't notice, are you up north? Please give a few more details about your set up. Also, don't worry about finding the queen everytime. If she's active, you will be able to find brood easily and if you do you'll know she is alive and well. Luckily I've never had much trouble with hive beetles, but the only time I had beetles in my hive it was associated with a feeder.

Just one box thus far and yes its a new hive this year. The feeder was in there when I picked it up (on Sunday April 29th) I am in Tulsa Oklahoma, so no not up north. I didn't see any brood. I have pic of some weird longer cells but I'm not able to post it yet.

CapnChkn · May 09, 2012, 12:50:29 AM

Well, if you see beetles, that's normal. Not that I like them in there, but I regularly see 3-4 beetles whenever I open a hive. Not like it was last year (I think, or wishful think) but they're not really a problem. It's the larvae that make it hard on life. Here's an attempted split I made this year where the bees just ignored cleaning.

Virtual Small Hive Beetle Infestation

Longer cells? Are we talking about sealed "dome" shaped cells?

mroark · May 09, 2012, 12:53:53 AM

Quote from: CapnChkn on May 09, 2012, 12:50:29 AM
Well, if you see beetles, that's normal. Not that I like them in there, but I regularly see 3-4 beetles whenever I open a hive. Not like it was last year (I think, or wishful think) but they're not really a problem. It's the larvae that make it hard on life. Here's an attempted split I made this year where the bees just ignored cleaning.

Longer cells? Are we talking about sealed "dome" shaped cells?

I there were 20 or 30 beetles on one of the frames. I pulled it. I guess I shouldnt have.

The longer cells are dome shaped cells yes. I have pics but am too new to link them.

CapnChkn · May 09, 2012, 01:07:59 AM

The bees usually clean out the eggs before they hatch. If there's too much space for them to control, the bugs get a start, and the bees will move as far away from the carnage as they can. The first lesson I had with the leetle monsters was to reduce the space to something the bees can patrol.

As for a frame with just beetles, it doesn't do any harm to freeze them. Problem would be in trying to control the beetles and removing the brood, larvae, eggs, etc. I would let the comb return to air temperature before returning it to the hive to let the bees clean it out.

The long dome shaped sealed cells are probably drone cells. A queen cell looks an awful lot like an unshelled peanut.

mroark · May 09, 2012, 01:37:54 AM

Thanks. That frame with all the beetles has honey on one side. If i Freeze it and then let it thaw I can just put it back in the hive?

AllenF · May 09, 2012, 10:23:22 AM

How much of the one honey frame is slimmed. I have froze frames for a few days when wormy (not too bad) and either placed outside sode to be robbed clean or put back into a hive for the bees to clean up.

mroark · May 09, 2012, 11:43:43 AM

Quote from: AllenF on May 09, 2012, 10:23:22 AM
How much of the one honey frame is slimmed. I have froze frames for a few days when wormy (not too bad) and either placed outside sode to be robbed clean or put back into a hive for the bees to clean up.

No slime, All i saw were adult beetles going in and out of the cells.

AllenF · May 09, 2012, 12:05:21 PM

Use your thumb and smash those boogers. Or a hive tool.

sterling · May 09, 2012, 12:30:35 PM

If those longer cells are worker size cells with bullet shaped capps that may mean laying worker. Check for eggs or larva in worker sized cells. if you can't find any put a frame of eggs and larve from your other hive in and watch for queen cells.
As for the SHB lay you outer cover flat on the ground hold the frame wtih the beetles in it sideways and whack the top bar with your hivetool over the cover the beetles will fall onto the cover smash em with your hivetool when they hit the cover. very simple procedure. You don't need to do that with frames with larva.

mroark · May 09, 2012, 01:32:04 PM

I got into the 2nd hive this morning and its loaded with larva. I removed the feeder and added the 9th frame. That hive is really full. Should I go ahead and add the 2nd hive body on this one?

I took another look at the first hive this morning and there are lots
of domed cells (20, maybe 30) and on only one of the frames and what I think is a queen cell which has already opened. (looks like a peanut and it opened from the side) There are lots of cells with a really dark substance in the bottom of them. I've not had a chance to look up that one yet.

Oh and no sign of hive beetles now that I pulled that frame. Its in the freezer. I'll get it out this evening and let them rob the honey.

AllenF · May 09, 2012, 03:42:51 PM

Yes, add another box on top. Put that frame from the freezer back into the hive. Start checking for eggs in the hive with no brood in a couple weeks. If none show up in a couple weeks, then add a frame of eggs to it.