Early May, already lost a nuc to Hive Beetles.

Started by van from Arkansas, May 08, 2019, 09:01:01 PM

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van from Arkansas

May 08, 2019, 09:01:01 PM
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

I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

iddee

#1
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.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

BeeMaster2

#2
May 08, 2019, 09:32:13 PM
Van,
Sorry to hear that. Don?t throw the frames away, just use a hose to wash out the mesh.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Ben Framed

#3
May 08, 2019, 10:32:21 PM
That?s rough Mr Van especially this early. Sorry for the loss.
Phillip

Nock

#4
May 08, 2019, 10:43:26 PM
Hate to hear that.

saltybluegrass

#5
May 08, 2019, 10:47:50 PM
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
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Then all else falls in line
It?s up to me

Acebird

#6
May 09, 2019, 08:13:14 AM
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.
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Beeboy01

#7
May 09, 2019, 09:53:11 AM
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.
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