# Beetle Baffle...Anyone running it? What are your results?



## Paramedicfirefighter (May 25, 2015)

sr73087 said:


> I am a new keeper and have recently heard of another hurdle we have to manage, the SHB. Is anyone running the beetle baffle on their hives? What are your results?


I'm a new bee keeper myself with a hive that's 25 days old. I installed the bee baffle with a spacer (I bought the spacer with the baffle). I just went inside today for the first time and there is a whole lot of burr/brood comb on the underside of the bottom frames. Maybe because of the spacer I installed? I don't know yet. No evidence of SHB (yet).


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## rmaxwell (Apr 23, 2014)

I use them and have had mixed results. I usually put them between frames 1 and 2 or 9 and 10, or both locations. The reason I do that is that my frames won't push all the way together with the baffle between. If they are near the honey frames, I know those will be pulled a little wider anyway and it gives me a little extra room for the baffle. I've tried apple cider vinegar in them with the mineral oil but I wonder if that doesn't just attract more hive beetles. I'm migrating to the oil trays beneath the bottom boards this year. May take me a few years to transition. 

I don't have any complaints about the baffles but they are not the end cure. I think they help but, you can't count solely on them to solve your issues. Thanks.


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

any strong hive can handle shb. when a hive gets weak is when problems start.


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

Maxwell he is talking about the beetle baffles not the beetle blasters.Blasters and Baffles both confuse me sometimes also.


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## quattro (Oct 2, 2014)

Ok - may still be a bit early, but I am in SC, so I will report my results thus far. I started new this year in March with 4 hives from packages. All hives were equipped with beetle baffles and spacers. I really felt a bit like a rube for spending the money on them that I did.

So far, absolutely no evidence of a single SHB getting above them. I have installed beetle blasters in the tops of the brood frames with mineral oil (no bait) and beetle barns (The naming of these devices is killing me) on the sbb on the bottom and on the top of the inner cover. I have seen SHB in my oil tray under my sbb and when I open the beetle barn on the sbb, it is a mad dash to squish them before they escape - those suckers can fly! Nothing in the traps above the baffles. 

Please note that I screened the top entrance groove on the inner cover, so there is no way for anything to get in, except through the bottom. I realize that may be a hindrance for me when I have to do other things in the future.

The other thing that was troubling at first, but now is a bit amusing is watching the bees "tumble" over the front baffle as they try to get out. They generally land on their back and have to roll over before they fly away. Did not expect that.

All this being said, I have asked on this board for a time for when SHB levels peak, but not gotten a response yet. So I do not know if I am just very early in the season and they will get me later...


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## AHudd (Mar 5, 2015)

I have heard the peak is July for my area.

Alex


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## quattro (Oct 2, 2014)

Thanks!


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## AHudd (Mar 5, 2015)

quattro said:


> Thanks!


You're welcome,but I would try to find out more from someone local because it can vary a lot by location. From what I read it seems they seem to be adapting to colder temps and moving North.
I remember when it was said fire ants would not survive North of San Antonio, Tx. 

Alex


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## camper (Jun 10, 2015)

Bump


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## hisnibs (May 13, 2015)

Installing beetle baffles today on two hives to test. I wrote the developer seeking more results but have not heard back. I was expecting more user experienced. 
I am also looking for this to get more info: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...&mid=B4A8CF80E6BF6090FA3BB4A8CF80E6BF6090FA3B


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

I have tried the John Pluta traps with the bait,cd traps with the bait,beetle jails with oil,political signs baited,swiffer pads and the screen on the bottoms with oil trays.The oil trays with the screened bottoms seem to be the only ones that hav4 worked for me.The beetle baffles are way to expensive if you have a number of hives.Come to think of it they are price prohibited even for a small number of hives.Keep your bees strong and that alone will solve most beetle problems.


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## camper (Jun 10, 2015)

Well, I bought them but I haven't installed them; I only have 1 hive and am a new beek.
I haven't heard much either way but see that most people agree that a strong hive keeps them in check.
I think I'm going to hold off and see how it goes.
Thanks very much for the replies.
Would like to hear more from those who have installed.


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## Paramedicfirefighter (May 25, 2015)

Okay - it's been several weeks since my original post and no sign of SHB. The Beetle Baffle has increased the distance from the lower most frame to the bottom board so the bees have drawn burr comb there. I have to scrape off the burr when I go in - removing many many capped brood. To solve this increase in bee space and hopefully eliminate the burr comb - I am installing a slatted rack.


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## camper (Jun 10, 2015)

I figured there would be some burr comb added.
Could you leave the burr comb there or do you think it gives a way for the SHB to make it back up into the hive?


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## Paramedicfirefighter (May 25, 2015)

The advice from the makers of the Beetle Baffle is to remove the burr comb. The advice I received from a master beekeeper of 45 years is to reduce the space (hence the slatted rack from the bottom). Oh, I forgot to mention, I added a spacer when installing the Beetle Baffle. The spacer is what is causing the problem. 

I'm also a new beek with only 1 hive. On my second hive (next spring unless I run across a swarm), I am going to have a comparison hive without a baffle using other IPM methods, just to see if the baffle keeps the SHB out.


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## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

Paramedicfirefighter said:


> The advice from the makers of the Beetle Baffle is to remove the burr comb. The advice I received from a master beekeeper of 45 years is to reduce the space (hence the slatted rack from the bottom). Oh, I forgot to mention, I added a spacer when installing the Beetle Baffle. The spacer is what is causing the problem.


When companies go half ****ed with products, it really is sad! They know it's half baked and well....... That's not my problem is what they're saying. So you instead have to go out and fix the problem that they've created further spending money.

Pretty inconsiderate to have a known problem created by the product and not include the solution.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

It seems to me that the best place to install beetle baffles would be on the bottom of a slatted rack.


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## camper (Jun 10, 2015)

David LaFerney said:


> It seems to me that the best place to install beetle baffles would be on the bottom of a slatted rack.


Good idea


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## Paramedicfirefighter (May 25, 2015)

I have found a total of x2 SHB but I believe they entered through the top entrance.

The bees are hanging out at the bottom of the slatted rack which I think would make the entrance of any SHB difficult. So far I think the beetle baffle is working. I am going to install a few traps just in case.


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## Pooh Bear (Jun 19, 2015)

I imagine a far easier solution in the baffles to kill beetles would be to add washing up liquid / detergent to water. Detergent breaks the surface tension on the liquid so that any bug falling thru has no chance of getting out and drowns fairly quickly. We use a similar method of killing Colorado and Japanese beetles that we find in our garden. I'd rather much prefer a detergent / water solution than some oil based liquid.


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## Robbin (May 26, 2013)

I have one on one hive at the bottom. I think it took longer for the SHB to really get into the hive, I say I think, because it would take a lot of inspections to document the difference, but it's got just as many SHB as any of the other hives now. I put an oil tray trap under it last week to try to regain control. I've got over half my hives freeman beetle traps (SBB with oil trays) now, and will have them under all my hives before the end of the summer. I just hope they all survive till then. Got two more on the paint rack right now, they go under hives this weekend.


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