Coming soon to a hive near you. . .

[David Stokely]

Living in relatively speaking, a cold climate here in Northern Indiana, there are certain disadvantages to be sure, but there are also some significant advantages. . .Among others:

1. No Hurricanes
2. No fire ants
3. No Africanized bees
4. No small hive beetles

Or so I thought.  When I have seen posts here at beemaster.com with SHB in the subject line, in the past I have kind of skipped over them, or maybe occasionally read them thinking of how thankful I am that the cold temperatures we endure some 6 months out of the year are beneficial in some way, but in the past few days I decided to do a little self education on the SHB problems and I was rather dismayed to find that in all likelihood one day eventually the entire U.S. will have to contend with these pesky little critters.  Here is a link to an official Canadian Government report listing outbreaks of SHB in Quebec in 2008:

http://www.oie.int/wahis/public.php?page=single_report&pop=1&reportid=7393

Now that report lists them as pretty much all contained, but how many feral hives might the SHB be hiding in???  That would be anyone's guess.

I have read other places that the SHB can overwinter in the bee cluster regardless of the ambient temperature.  Granted they might not propogate quite as fast, but who knows when your beekeeping neighbor down the road is going to get in a package of bees from the southern states with SHB present.  I read another place where they can fly up to 5 miles looking for a new host hive.

So, it only seems prudent to me. . . going back to the old (was it from Ben Franklin) saying an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. . . to begin reducing entrances, etc. today as good hive hygiene. . .

Just one thought of many now come to my mind, but my wonderfully open bottom boards, to help eliminate mites, seem to me to be an ideal way for the SHB to get into the hive. . .

In any respect, I will no longer skip over postings on SHB. . .

:-P

Dave

[Joelel]

Living in relatively speaking, a cold climate here in Northern Indiana, there are certain disadvantages to be sure, but there are also some significant advantages. . .Among others:

1. No Hurricanes
2. No fire ants
3. No Africanized bees
4. No small hive beetles

Or so I thought.  When I have seen posts here at beemaster.com with SHB in the subject line, in the past I have kind of skipped over them, or maybe occasionally read them thinking of how thankful I am that the cold temperatures we endure some 6 months out of the year are beneficial in some way, but in the past few days I decided to do a little self education on the SHB problems and I was rather dismayed to find that in all likelihood one day eventually the entire U.S. will have to contend with these pesky little critters.  Here is a link to an official Canadian Government report listing outbreaks of SHB in Quebec in 2008:

http://www.oie.int/wahis/public.php?page=single_report&pop=1&reportid=7393

Now that report lists them as pretty much all contained, but how many feral hives might the SHB be hiding in???  That would be anyone's guess.

I have read other places that the SHB can overwinter in the bee cluster regardless of the ambient temperature.  Granted they might not propogate quite as fast, but who knows when your beekeeping neighbor down the road is going to get in a package of bees from the southern states with SHB present.  I read another place where they can fly up to 5 miles looking for a new host hive.

So, it only seems prudent to me. . . going back to the old (was it from Ben Franklin) saying an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. . . to begin reducing entrances, etc. today as good hive hygiene. . .

Just one thought of many now come to my mind, but my wonderfully open bottom boards, to help eliminate mites, seem to me to be an ideal way for the SHB to get into the hive. . .

In any respect, I will no longer skip over postings on SHB. . .

:-P

Dave

If you have screened inter covers and leave the wax around the edge and push it down tight when you remove it and put it back they can't get in the top.
 If you keep your entrance as small as possable,the guard bees can keep them out. I sit and watch my guard bees attack them and robber bees and other,they do a good job. Another thing,don't use inside feeders.
 We have beetles here but they are no problem. We find if you do this and keep strong hives,pests are no problem.

[indypartridge]

Living in relatively speaking, a cold climate here in Northern Indiana, there are certain disadvantages to be sure, but there are also some significant advantages. . .
4. No small hive beetles

SHB have been in Indiana for a few years now. Not widespread, but have been reported in a number of counties. Kathleen Prough, State Apiarist, keeps a list of counties where they have been identified.

[SlickMick]

They are just a bit more than pesky, Dave.

If nothing else they will make you modify your management of your hives and pay more attention to what is going on in them

Just hope you never see them but be prepared in case you do

Mick

[bee-nuts]

I would not worry about the packages too much.  Commercial beeks bring them all over the place.  The shb is everywhere beeks bring there bees.  But us northern folks do have the benefit of the cold to help kill em off in the winter if we use the right tactics.  I have not read a whole lot on em but I know they go into the ground to lay eggs or mate or whatever so they will die off in the winter.  I heard they will over winter in honey houses if kept heated.  So we up here just need to dot our i's and cross our t's and they should not get out of hand.

[SlickMick]

I would not worry about the packages too much.  Commercial beeks bring them all over the place.  The shb is everywhere beeks bring there bees.  But us northern folks do have the benefit of the cold to help kill em off in the winter if we use the right tactics.  I have not read a whole lot on em but I know they go into the ground to lay eggs or mate or whatever so they will die off in the winter.  I heard they will over winter in honey houses if kept heated.  So we up here just need to dot our i's and cross our t's and they should not get out of hand.

Not quite right there Bee-nuts.

The shb adult beetle gets into the hive where it lays its eggs. The eggs hatch into larva and the larva burrow their way through the comb. When they are mature they drop to the floor of the hive and are attracted to the light at the entrance where they exit, fall to the ground and burrow in to pupate whence they re-emerge as young shb and so the cycle recommences. The destruction is done by the larva turning the honey putrid and destroying the brood. The colony or what is left of it absconds at this time. Once the shb eggs start hatching there is only a matter of days before they have control of the hive.

I understand that they will over-winter in the cluster

Mick

[mick]

I hope I never see the day when we I will have to worry about anything more serious than wax moth.

[SlickMick]

I hope I never see the day when we I will have to worry about anything more serious than wax moth.

Mick, they are a pain in the butt.

Must admit though I have seen fewer of them over the past few weeks with the colder weather and stronger hives in the warmer days.

Mick

[bee-nuts]

Mick

Your absolutely right.  I looked into it and here is what I found.

http://www.wasba.org/SHB.pdf

On the third page it even names Wisconsin (My State) and that they can survive in the cluster through winter.  I heard they are already here about 60 miles west of me.  Some commercial out fit has em.  I did not take them serious though cause I heard they should not be a real problem here cause of winter.  How many pests is to many?

Guess I better get ready!!  Grrrrr!!!

[SlickMick]

BeeNuts,

1 shb is too many because it means you have them and you will always have them

Just make sure that you are prepared.

That is a pretty good reference article so keep it handy. The pics of infestations are spot on. I have seen that sort of thing in real life and it is quite sickening.

There has been a lot written about them on this forum so I would do a search. Examine your management practices as this will assist you to keep on top of them

Hope you never see one

Mick

[annette]

I always said that if I ever had to deal with them, it would be the end of my beekeeping hobby. But now that they are getting closer to being a reality, well, I will have to deal with them. I hear they are almost to Sacramento.

[Scadsobees]

I'm north of you, and they've been around here for more than 5 years.  Yes, they will over winter in the cluster.  Yes, even when the temps get down below zero.

They are very anticlimactic in this environment.  Not a problem unless you have an extremely stressed out hive or leave out pollen filled frames in the late summer.  Only slightly worse than wax moths.  And oz. of prevention and all that goes a long way.

They are fun to squish though, very rewarding :) .

Rick

[jclark96]

I just squished about two hundred of them, does that count as stress relief? And they are more of a pain than wax moths.

[sc-bee]

I'll take wax moth any day over shb!!!

[BruinnieBear]

... and just when I thought I could retire my plastic bubble and tin foil hat!  Dang!  More stress!