SHB nest

[millipede]

I am pretty sure I found the source of all the SHB in the south.
I got a call yesterday about a downed hive in a tree that fell over. I brought it home and cracked it open. Inside were what had to have been millions of shb larvae.  I have never seen so many in one place. I managed to kill at least 99% of them by scraping the log and placing all the comb in a black pan in the sun and roasting them.
  Unfortunately none of the comb survived the fall and looks like it got the queen too. I have them set up in a langstroth. I am going to have to get some brood from one of the hives at the farm and see if they will raise their own queen. At least I have a fair chance of saving them from being completely taken over by the beetles.
I do have on question. Should I feed them as they have no comb or stores at the moment? They are eating the honey left in the log but I am still concerned.

[bud1]

they getting fed a little honey goes a long way  also until they get established you just inviting more beatles

[Nico]

Hi Millipede,
I found a similar situation on my property. A wild colony in a tree, miserable weather ( cyclone off the coast)the wind blew the tree down before we could do a cut-out. The bees had swarmed so we opened the hive area and found a mass of SHB larvae, the comb etc. was ruined so we burnt the tree and the close area around it. 
Nico

[Joe D]

Millipede, are you sure that they roasted.  Back a couple of years ago one of the instrutors at a bee class had some larva in the back of his truck.  Truck had a black liner, the larva had been there three days and was still alive.  Good luck to you and your bees.



Joe

[millipede]

well, after I melted the wax down (larvae and all) I am pretty sure they didn't make it.
Thanks