First beetle slimed box

[Bob Wilson]

Well.
It's official. I have had my first colony die due to pest. For the first time in 4 years, I made a nuc split, but didn't move the nuc to a new location. The forage bees returned to the main hive, and the nuc was too weak to guard the box. Small hive beetles laid eggs and the beetle larva slimed the box. At least the other five nucs are doing well.
Lesson learned.

[Ben Framed]

Sorry to hear that Bob. Watch the others closely. The larva will burrow into the ground developing into more SHB and will come back with a vengeance! Especially since they have this early start. Prepare now is my advise.

[cao]

Sorry about the nuc.  I usually try to shake some nurse bees from a couple extra frames into my nucs that I make up to help with the loss of foragers.

[Acebird]

Yeah, beetles tend to get worse.  I got a beetle problem up north where you are not suppose to have beetle problems.

[Lesgold]

Beetles love it when bees do not cover all frames. The little blighters have a Christmas party on honey/ pollen frames when this situation occurs. Good luck Bob with the upcoming season.

Cheers

Les

[Ben Framed]

Yeah, beetles tend to get worse.  I got a beetle problem up north where you are not suppose to have beetle problems.

Beetles love it when bees do not cover all frames. The little blighters have a Christmas party on honey/ pollen frames when this situation occurs. Good luck Bob with the upcoming season.

Cheers

Les

Yes Les, they can be a pain in the beekeeping program.

Brian I had supposed New York far enough North to be a safe-haven from SHB. Thanks for making this know.

Phillip

[Michael Bush]

It's not about pests, it's about the density of bees.  If it's low they struggle.  If the density falls too low they die.  If it's nice and high, they thrive.  If it's too high,, they swarm.

[FloridaGardener]

From recent, very disappointing experience -

I think with nucs, the ones I feed 1:1 syrup build up faster in summer, than the ones I give a bar of partially-capped honey. As if they don't want to increase brood using the honey.  So then the colony doesn't expand even enough to cover that extra frame.

Also keep total pollen low.  Just enough.   And if I re-queen in late spring/early summer, the stores bars are at peak.  So I need to remove some, and put in undrawn comb (I use empty frames) in order to keep a safe balance. Of course most minimum number of hive bodies.

[BeeMaster2]

FloridaGardener,
Your observation about honey versus sugar water for spring buildup is right on. If there is no nectar coming in the the bees shut down the queens egg production even when the hive is full of honey. When you feed them sugar water you stimulate egg production.
Jim Altmiller

[Ben Framed]

FloridaGardener,
Your observation about honey versus sugar water for spring buildup is right on. If there is no nectar coming in the the bees shut down the queens egg production even when the hive is full of honey. When you feed them sugar water you stimulate egg production.
Jim Altmiller

Yes, that along with an adequate pollen supply.



Quoting Michale Bush concerning density:
"If it's low they struggle. If the density falls too low they die. If it's nice and high, they thrive.  If it's too high,, they swarm."

Learned through experience; 😊 I agree on each of your points Mr Bush; Density is very important.

Phillip

[FloridaGardener]

In my area it needs to be "just enough" pollen.  Two frames of bee bread in stores bars is too much for a nuc to guard in summer.