# SHB are out of control



## challenger (May 27, 2009)

Incredibly bad SHB population this year.
I "know" all the suggestions for control but I am relying on strong hives as I've done in the past. I will resort to other methods if I feel they are required. My state inspector says a strong hive is the prevention from slimed frames.
I keep my hives strong yet this year I've still had a frame or two in these hives with SHB larvae. This is disturbing to me because I'm afraid their numbers are growing to the point that the fine line between a colony that is going to cast off a late swarm (and croak needless to say) and a hive that is susceptible to getting slimed is getting finer.
A good friend of mine has been keeping bees for 25 years and always gets 4-500 lbs off his 7-8 hives came to me a few weeks ago with 3 deep boxes of slimed honey/pollen frames.
He had stacked deeps that had gotten honey bound due to swarming & no queen replacment on top of producing hives thereby turning them into honey supers. I did this myself this year on 3 hives for similar reasons.
His, "producing hives" then went queenless and within three weeks were full of about the most disgusting SHB mess I've ever seen.
It is getting to the point that keeping bees is a battle to say the least. When one has to go into hives 5-6 times a month during the busy season things are bad bad bad.
BTW-I looked for threads about using modified bug zappers for SHB but didn't see anything. Anyone try this?
Thanks
Howard


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## Murdock (Jun 16, 2013)

I too have a high population of SHB. My hive was started with a package on 5/12 and has not gotten strong yet. I put in two beetle traps and when I checked today there was possibly 50 in each one. There was another dozen on the SBB. My hive is on wide rubber mats and I applied a pesticide before the mat went down (drenched the ground). I don't think my SHB are reproducing in the soil or the hive; I've seen them just fly by and go into the hive.


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## VolunteerK9 (Aug 19, 2011)

I'm still believing that my liberal usage of roundup under my hives works to keep the sub in check. The most I have saw in a single hive this year was 5-they were imprisioned by some of broke-t's queen brood slimed over with propolis.


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## Slow Modem (Oct 6, 2011)

Our state apiarist said that SHB can smell a hive for 10 miles. I feel like SHBs are like the sword of Damocles. I've got the screened bottoms with the oil trays ready to go. Luckily I've not had to use them yet. I really hope you folks with the problems ultimately triumph over the SHB. I think the weird weather this year may be playing a part in this. I know the ticks, chiggers and mosquitoes are really bad this year, too.


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## larrybeach (May 25, 2013)

shb seems bad here this year also. I just received Beetle Jail's screened bottom board and their shb entrance trap. It seems like a good design, with the idea being to trap the beetles before they make it into the hive. I plan on using it next year on a new hive. After watching their youtube video and watching how the beetles enter my hive( they fly in on the landing board and then just run in) I can see how the entrance trap can catch a lot of beetles. I hope it works, I'm getting tired of dealing with them.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

They were awful last year, but so far this season not so much.


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## dphillipm (Mar 27, 2013)

I believe that SHB are enemy #1. I have screen bottoms on my hives with oil, but they have taken two of my hives. I heard today that I should try lime in the trays.


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## naomi1431 (Jul 7, 2013)

I posted about this in another thread. (The "SHB destruction *graphic*" one.)

~Quote~
I've been having a rough time with the SHB up in Birmingham as well. (Though, not as rough a time as you've been having by the looks of things...) You can expect to have them in your other hive soon. If the hive's strong they'll keep them in check.

Here's what we've tried so far:
-The little bait traps that fit between the frames up at the top. (Not great result. We've been baiting with vinegar. Suggestions for bait, anyone?)
-A slide in tray full of oil under a 1/8" screened bottom board.
-A slide in tray full of soapy water under a 1/8" screened bottom board.
-Nematodes. Don't really know if they're working yet or not. But, I'm excited about the prospect. They came in the mail & I sprayed them around the hives on Wednesday and the ground's been damp since then, which is good for nematodes, apparently.
-Shrinking the hive down. (I think this has really helped.)
-Oh, I also read that you can freeze frames to kill the beetle larvae. So, I've frozen the most beetle invested frames, which were honey supers & not brood anyway.

Anyone else have a brilliant idea for keeping the little devils in check? 
~End quote~

One person mentioned *pool salt*, but that it would ruin the soil for growing anything. Then it occurred to me that there may be *some sort of plant *that would repel the beetles. Mint is said to repel ants & termites. Garlic? Basil? Seems like that's a study in the making. . . Of course putting the hive on a large *concrete slab *or rooftop would also probably make it where the larvae couldn't get to the soil to complete their growth cycle too... Just brainstorming here. What do the rest of you guys think?


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## Kidbeeyoz (May 8, 2013)

Have heard that a few slices of spanish onion in the hive causes the beetles to exit. Have not tried it myself.


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Kidbeeyoz said:


> Have heard that a few slices of spanish onion in the hive causes the beetles to exit.


Now they'll be "run" on Spanish Onions! By the way, I've never seen a "Spanish onion."


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## Slow Modem (Oct 6, 2011)

John Pluta has SHB traps he sells on his site (although I've never tried one).

>Of course putting the hive on a large *concrete slab *or rooftop would also probably make it where the larvae couldn't get to the soil to complete their growth cycle too.<

It seems to me that if the larvae are to the point of getting to the ground, you're combs are already pretty messed up. But I guess it couldn't hurt.


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## Robbin (May 26, 2013)

Slow Modem said:


> Our state apiarist said that SHB can smell a hive for 10 miles. I feel like SHBs are like the sword of Damocles. I've got the screened bottoms with the oil trays ready to go. Luckily I've not had to use them yet. I really hope you folks with the problems ultimately triumph over the SHB. I think the weird weather this year may be playing a part in this. I know the ticks, chiggers and mosquitoes are really bad this year, too.



Don't wait, if you've got the SHB oil traps use them now, and sugar treat the hive. I've seen some experiments where 90% are caught the first day following sugar treatment. So if you want to remove them or rotate them to another hive, wait two days. I wouldn't wait till you HAVE to use them. it's like waiting till the enemy has landed, instead of attacking before they get a foothold on the beach. It's quite possible to lose a weak hive in just a couple of days. My traps are always deployed.


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## Robbin (May 26, 2013)

dphillipm said:


> I believe that SHB are enemy #1. I have screen bottoms on my hives with oil, but they have taken two of my hives. I heard today that I should try lime in the trays.


Have you tried sugar treating them? Even thou I keep my traps on all the time, I find that sugar treating the bees gets them to chase the heck out of the SHB and I catch a bunch the day I treat, even thou the trap was on the entire time.


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## Slow Modem (Oct 6, 2011)

Those are some good thoughts!


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

Robbin said:


> -snip- I've seen some experiments where 90% are caught the first day following sugar treatment. -snip-


Where can I read about those experiments?


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

I would not worry about the larvae that make it to the ground. You're fighting a losing battle there. You've already a big problem in the hive. I worry about the hive SHB.........they are the ones to destroy or at least keep under check. Sure by poisoning the ground (for them) you'll keep some from becoming an adult SHB....... but they are everywhere and will fly in...


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## Robbin (May 26, 2013)

Lburou said:


> Where can I read about those experiments?


No, I don't have a link, I can tell you that they took pictures, hours after sugar treating and every day after. by 1 day after, the trap had caught 90% of the SHB it was going to catch, and they included pictures of the trap. It was full of SHB the first day, dwindling every day after that to just a few. But it makes sense, if you kill a bunch, there are less to kill. 
I can tell you from my own experience, I catch more following a sugar treatment. But I leave mine on all the time, so I don't have the huge numbers they had in there examples.
I think the fat bee man had a video like that, showing huge numbers killed right after sugar treating.


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## wglord (Nov 23, 2009)

Take infested frames out and freeze them overnight. Rinse the frames off and put them back in a strong hive. Works like a charm.


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

snl said:


> I would not worry about the larvae that make it to the ground. -snip-


I do, and take reasonable precautions to limit the next crop of SHB. I do take your point however, that you are interested in what is going on in the hive.


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