Anyone seeing Small Hive Beetles?

Ben Framed · May 03, 2019, 10:16:22 AM

I noticed a few SHB yesterday. Anyone else?

Nock · May 03, 2019, 10:45:34 AM

I killed two around entrance of one of mine yesterday as well.

cao · May 03, 2019, 11:10:08 AM

I see them way too often. It is rare for me to open a hive and not see any beetles.

The15thMember · May 03, 2019, 11:11:02 AM

I found one under an inner cover a few weeks ago, but none since. None in my traps yet either. I'm sure I'll be seeing them before long.

Ben Framed · May 03, 2019, 11:43:13 AM

For you experienced beekeepers, Have you noticed the SHB more of a problem some years than others, or pretty much the same each year?
Phillip

ed/La. · May 03, 2019, 07:21:19 PM

I have all screen bottom boards. With all the lizards and a few frogs and moles a SHB larva does not have much of a chance once it hits the ground. Yes I do see the beetles but not enough to hurt the hives. I did see a fair amount of wax moths early in the season but not much now.

BeeMaster2 · May 03, 2019, 08:14:00 PM

I also see them in most of my hives. Not much of a problem unless the hive has a problem. They are just waiting for the hives to bee stressed out.
I do kill every one I see.
Jim Altmiller

gunswayne · May 03, 2019, 09:31:22 PM

I have seen a few in the single digits in my hives. I got a swarm a non beekeeping buddy caught This past weekend. He caught them in a 5 gallon bucket that he hung in a tree. They took up residence on the 16th of April so had 2 weeks to build comb in the bucket. There were hundreds of beetles in there. The smell was horrible. Fortunately they swarmed out of the trap to a tree right before I was going to switch them to a box. I took my oxy-acetylene rig to the bucket and watched them fry. Sucked the bees into a box and now 6 days in they are doing great.

Ben Framed · May 08, 2019, 10:32:33 PM

Quote from: gunswayne on May 03, 2019, 09:31:22 PM
I have seen a few in the single digits in my hives. I got a swarm a non beekeeping buddy caught This past weekend. He caught them in a 5 gallon bucket that he hung in a tree. They took up residence on the 16th of April so had 2 weeks to build comb in the bucket. There were hundreds of beetles in there. The smell was horrible. Fortunately they swarmed out of the trap to a tree right before I was going to switch them to a box. I took my oxy-acetylene rig to the bucket and watched them fry. Sucked the bees into a box and now 6 days in they are doing great.

I have a feeling this might be a tough year for pesky SHB. Van, in another topic, says he has already lost a Nuc to the beetles. I am wondering if they run in cycles? I am not experienced enough to know. Do any of you experienced keepers keep records of such things?

BeeMaster2 · May 09, 2019, 07:50:51 AM

Ben,
All it takes to have a bad year is to have one hive get totally slimed and the larvae are allowed to crawl out of the hive and pupate. One hive can produce several thousand if not 10,000 SHBs. On more than one occasion I have had to pull out a large trash can, fill it full of soapy water and submerge all of the frames of a hive in it to kill all of the larvae. The larvae do not die easily. The frames have to be weighed down to keep them under water.
The SHBs can also reproduce in rotting fruit
Jim Altmiller

Ben Framed · May 09, 2019, 09:46:52 AM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on May 09, 2019, 07:50:51 AM
Ben,
All it takes to have a bad year is to have one hive get totally slimed and the larvae are allowed to crawl out of the hive and pupate. One hive can produce several thousand if not 10,000 SHBs. On more than one occasion I have had to pull out a large trash can, fill it full of soapy water and submerge all of the frames of a hive in it to kill all of the larvae. The larvae do not die easily. The frames have to be weighed down to keep them under water.
The SHBs can also reproduce in rotting fruit
Jim Altmiller

What a pest!

Hethen57 · June 12, 2019, 05:43:56 PM

I have never had to deal with these pests before, but I have seen one or two on the top bars or one the slide out tray. I read that they poop and lay their eggs in the capped honey and I was just wondering how many you need to see in the hive in order to decide that your honey is fully contaminated and not edible? Is it possible to fully eradicate them from your hives, or are they able to travel from other beeks hives in your area?

Donovan J · June 12, 2019, 08:00:41 PM

They do not exist in Washington so I have seen none

BeeMaster2 · June 12, 2019, 08:08:24 PM

Quote from: Hethen57 on June 12, 2019, 05:43:56 PM
I have never had to deal with these pests before, but I have seen one or two on the top bars or one the slide out tray. I read that they poop and lay their eggs in the capped honey and I was just wondering how many you need to see in the hive in order to decide that your honey is fully contaminated and not edible? Is it possible to fully eradicate them from your hives, or are they able to travel from other beeks hives in your area?

Your bees are constantly keeping them locked in cells, when the bees are not stressed, and constantly removing the SHB larvae and eggs. It is only when you see your hive slimmed that you have to worry about the honey.
Jim Altmiller

van from Arkansas · June 12, 2019, 09:14:43 PM

Quote from: Ben Framed on May 03, 2019, 11:43:13 AM
For you experienced beekeepers, Have you noticed the SHB more of a problem some years than others, or pretty much the same each year?
Phillip

Hi Phil, I see some years are better than others. In 2017, I figured there was a feral hive close as the beetles were horrifying. In a single screen bottom board, sbb, I would catch as many as 20, twenty, a night. I don?t know how many avoided the sbb. I did not lose a hive but had some close ones that year 2017 was horrible.

However the following year, 2018 was non eventful, that is not many beetles. I figured the feral hive died in the winter of 2017. It like was Jim stated, all it?s takes is one breeder hive for the beetles and hives within range are going to plagued. The beetles are sap suckers so living in a tree is natural, but winter kills the critters unless the beetles can find a warm hive to winter over.

So far, 2019 appears to be non eventful except for one nuc that was saved. Weak hives such as newly created nucs are targeted. But don?t get misled, if there is a breeder hive close by, you may be hit with scores of beetles overnight. Remember what Jim texted above and don?t let your guard down.

I agree with Jim, the larva are hardy, hard to kill. The larva can travel a long ways to find soil as a researcher found out; escaped larva can crawl down a flight of stairs.
Van

The15thMember · June 12, 2019, 09:54:17 PM

I haven?t seen as many beetles this year as I did last year. I?m not sure if it?s because I?ve been better about not giving the bees too much space or if they?re just not as bad this year.

paus · June 12, 2019, 10:01:19 PM

I have seen very few but there several in some of the oil pans

Ben Framed · June 13, 2019, 12:04:36 AM

Quote from: van from Arkansas on June 12, 2019, 09:14:43 PM
Quote from: Ben Framed on May 03, 2019, 11:43:13 AM
For you experienced beekeepers, Have you noticed the SHB more of a problem some years than others, or pretty much the same each year?
Phillip

Hi Phil, I see some years are better than others. In 2017, I figured there was a feral hive close as the beetles were horrifying. In a single screen bottom board, sbb, I would catch as many as 20, twenty, a night. I don?t know how many avoided the sbb. I did not lose a hive but had some close ones that year 2017 was horrible.

However the following year, 2018 was non eventful, that is not many beetles. I figured the feral hive died in the winter of 2017. It like was Jim stated, all it?s takes is one breeder hive for the beetles and hives within range are going to plagued. The beetles are sap suckers so living in a tree is natural, but winter kills the critters unless the beetles can find a warm hive to winter over.

So far, 2019 appears to be non eventful except for one nuc that was saved. Weak hives such as newly created nucs are targeted. But don?t get misled, if there is a breeder hive close by, you may be hit with scores of beetles overnight. Remember what Jim texted above and don?t let your guard down.

I agree with Jim, the larva are hardy, hard to kill. The larva can travel a long ways to find soil as a researcher found out; escaped larva can crawl down a flight of stairs.
Van

I agree with you and Jim, and being prepared before they strike a hard blow is the key, not affording them the opportunity to gain a leverage, or foothold in the first place. But as you say, there are the variables that may be behind the scene that we do not know about and are therefore, helpless to control the effects and cycles of these hard shelled critters. Per the example that you gave, Mr Van, beetles in a feral hive. Good point !!!
I appreciate each one of you, which have posted your comments here about these pest. It is interesting to me, to hear what different beekeepers form around the country, and even other countries, may be experiencing relative to their own area.
Mr paus, again good job with the oil trays. As Barney Fife might say, "nip it in the bud"

Phillip

BeeMaster2 · June 13, 2019, 07:17:39 AM

SHBs can lay their eggs in rotting fruit. Not their preferred location but they can and do use fruit.
Yesterday BobSim and I did a cutout where the comb had collapsed and fallen to the bottom. It was packed full of SHB larvae. It stunk of fermented honey and it was nasty. They are always waiting for a chance to lay their eggs and slime a hive.
Jim Altmiller

Bob Wilson · June 13, 2019, 11:14:58 PM

Newbee, here with my first hive. I caught a swarm. I saw 4 or 5
shb a week ago, and tomorrow I am putting in some brawny towel traps. I have no idea what I am going to find tomorrow, but the entrance seems busy and gentle, and they are still doing orientation flights each day. Last week they had occupied 12 frames in my long hive. I hope they are strong enough to hold the beetles off.