# I joined the "I have SHB "club



## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

I pulled the supers from the hives at my buddies location. Lots of SHB moving around. I wanted to extract but he bailed on me and said he was done with bees.( another story) It was only three supers so I picked them up. I put them in a freezer. Will that take care of the eggs if the exist? I made some CD traps and used AMDRO and put them in the hives. As I saw SHB, I gathered them in my aspirator. Bout 6 or so. I put one beetle in a plastic Rx bottle and put a PDB Chrystal. Not effect. For grins , I put a small piece of paper towel with a drop of listerene. (thymol) no effect. I put a small drop of wintergreen on a paper twl and put it in. Killed him in short order. I realize this is not a scientific method but it has to make you wonder. Could you use wintergreen oil to get rid of SHB in a super w/o comprising the frames or honey in them? Wintergreen is power full stuff. 
Thoughts appreciated


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## rocky1 (Jul 19, 2009)

You might want to put a few bees in the jar and try the drop of wintergreen to test effects upon the bees first. But it is an interesting discovery.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Welcome to the club.


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## Kingfisher Apiaries (Jan 16, 2010)

Put them in full sun, make sure they are packed with bees, and see if there are certain breeds in your area that deal with them better than others. After that, you should be kicked out of the club. 
But for now, welcome. 
:lpf:
MIke


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## StevenG (Mar 27, 2009)

I went thru my hives yesterday, checking shb traps, and feeding for winter. Most hives had 5-10 shb which I killed, all traps were full of dead beetles. I cleaned them out, refilled with mineral oil, and reinstalled in the hive.

The hives in shade or partial shade, my oh my! Killed 25-30 beetles in them, cleaned and refilled the traps. Need to move from shade to sun next spring. But I sure do prefer to work in the shade from July 1 to Sept. 10. oh well.

I know those numbers are puny compared to you folks further south. You have my condolences and best wishes. And to Rick? Welcome to the club!
Regards,
Steven


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## devdog108 (May 7, 2009)

I had placed my hives next to a fellow beek that was eaten up with SHB. I generally have 5-10 running around at any given time and for the most part, they are corraled on the top bars on the sides and the bees keep them there. After having mine next to his for a period, they were REALLY REALLY bad. I used Amdro and Combat gels in CD cases. The Combat cases were LOADED with dead beetles, the Amdro, not so much. I removed the cases after the first treatment and the hives are now back to normal. Keep them strong and in full sun and you'll be fine. They can handle them with some help, and sometimes without. Welcome to the fun we have been having...and the club......hope to kick you out really really soon.....


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

Combat and AMDRO are different in the way they work. Combat is a faster acting insecticide. Amdro slowly shuts down the bugs system, they run "out of gas" and die. The more active the insect, the faster it works. Having said that,,,I wonder if the SHB live long enough to exit the CD case, bees chase them around, die, and are then carried out by the bees?? I read both are excellent in what they do. The Amdro advantage, at least one, is that it is not detectable in the bait and is readily eaten. The disadvantage is that you don't get to see all those dead SHBs


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## Bsweet (Apr 9, 2010)

Joined the club this year,inch: Now are they a seasonal thing or am I going to have the joy of fighting them all year? Jim


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## devdog108 (May 7, 2009)

Bsweet said:


> Joined the club this year,inch: Now are they a seasonal thing or am I going to have the joy of fighting them all year? Jim


All Year Jim, sorry buddy. They will cluster with the bees. No need in fighting them during the winter.


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## rocky1 (Jul 19, 2009)

Oh, they are all year; never go away!!


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## jslo722 (Dec 20, 2009)

I live outside Chicago, In Bartlett, IL. and I joined the club today too. Was inspecting my two hives and saw one beetle in a bottom deep. It was on a frame I was looking at and a bee gave it a good hug and they fell to the ground. I didn't see any more (none in hive #2), but I assume where there is one, there could be many.


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## elliebee (May 2, 2010)

I am new beek this year, thank goodness inspector came around today. Found SHB in my one hive. We discussed putting roofing shingles on ground around hive to disrupt lifecycle, also spreading DE on ground. Anyone have experience with non-chemical control methods.


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## devdog108 (May 7, 2009)

90 percent of us do. The roofing for the most part will not work. The bees carry them off. Keep the crowded in the hive just over swarm conditions and in full sun and you will a big difference.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

I second what devdog says - try to keep the hive a little on the crowded side, and in full sun, and I would add that you aggravate the problem when you disrupt the hive for inspections - do what you gotta do, but keep it in mind. You're going to have SHB but those things seem to help more than anything.


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## theriverhawk (Jun 5, 2009)

If/when I treat for mites, I use different materials in the fall than I do in the spring. I have found that a fall treatment with Checkmite+ kills off all the beetles in the hive, thus the bees go into the spring with almost no SHB in the hive. Yes, they come back around in the late summer, but I know they're coming then and can be preventive....as opposed to fighting them all summer long because they made it thru the winter in the cluster. 
Just my experience...


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## CentralPAguy (Feb 8, 2009)

Unfortunately, I have joined the club -- I saw just a few beetles in a couple of my hives and when I went into my one yard, there must have been a hundred that I saw in each of my hives.

I had 13 hives there and only one was strong where the beetles weren't really doing too much. But the other 12 made me really sick as I am not sure what happened to my bee population in those. The hives were in partial shade.


Then I went to some of my other beeyards and they were there too. I am hoping that they don't make it thru winter. But maybe I am just a wishful thinker.


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## brac (Sep 30, 2009)

PAguy, how long have you had bees in those locations ? Also were these bees from down south ?


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## CentralPAguy (Feb 8, 2009)

brac,

My yards are about 10-15 miles apart. The first yard with the major infestation has been established for two years, while the second yard was a new location, which I placed packaged bees within it. Both are shady.

I do have another two yards that are in full sun the full day -- I was at one, but only saw 1 SHB and then I am not sure that it didn't tag along. It will be interesting to check out the other beeyard that is in full sun to see how many exist. I will say that this beeyard and the one with the major infestation is about 1/2 mile apart.

I did purchase some hives and placed them into that yard. It is possible that these hives were brought up from the south containing SHB within them.


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## CentralPAguy (Feb 8, 2009)

Just checked my hives in my own backyard and they had taken up residence within the past several days -- yep, I killed about 10 of the little buggers. And my neighbor reported that she saw one in her hive... Let's hope that they don't make it thru Winter.....


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## StevenG (Mar 27, 2009)

It has been reported that the shb will make it thru the winter, many times within the bees own winter cluster. If you have just now discovered shb in some hives, I would earnestly suggest you get some traps in those hives immediately, so the bees can chase the shb into the traps, before the bees begin clustering. 

Another thing to realize, as has been pointed out, opening up a hive for inspection aggravates the problem. The main reason is, the bees frequently seal the shb into cracks and crevices with propolis. When we open the hives, we break that seal, thus releasing the shb. Pay particular attention when you pop the inner cover. Frequently the bees seal them in propolis up under the inner cover along the edge or in the corner. Keep your hive tool handy, that's the best way to execute those little buggers...crush them! :lpf:

Another thing to watch out for, is if you don't have enough oil in your traps, the shb will use it as a refuge from the bees, and when you open the hive, out they pour. So be ready with the hive tool again. I'm not sure about the cd traps, others can chime in on those. I've found I have to empty and clean my AJ traps twice a season, as the bees manage to keep them fairly well occupied with soon to be dead shb.
Regards,
Steven


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## Mike Snodgrass (Mar 11, 2010)

Cd traps with combat platinum in them with a little pollen in the middle didnt lure or trap a sngl SHB in my hives this late summer/fall. I finally pulled them and said heck with it. Going with the oil/beetle traps.


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## seamuswildhoney (Jul 24, 2008)

I have 2 of the oil traps in my hives. when I put them in I saw lots of beetles drowned after just a few minutes, after a few days dozens of them, some varroa mites as well. I want every hive I have with one of those traps!


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Just want to comment about the BB oil traps - 

They *do* work in that they catch lots of beetles, beetle larva, and wax moth larva. They *do not eliminate* beetles from the hives. It seems like they would, but I ran them on 5 of my 10 hives all season, and during inspections I don't know if you could really see a big difference in beetle pop between the haves and have nots. 

Maybe my total beetle population is lower - I don't know. I do know that the hives that get a good bit of shade always have more beetles. Also the beetles really seem to home in on any weak hives. 

Also, the oil gets REALLY nasty and changing it is one more unpleasant thing that you have to do on a timely schedule. 

My conclusion is that keeping them strong and in the sun is the primary defense against SHB.


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## devdog108 (May 7, 2009)

Its combat Roach Gel, there is a difference and it made a huge impact on mine personally....


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

I suspect that you guys to my south have bigger problems with SHB than we do. I've had them for the past 8 years and have had minimal losses. I suspect that with many things in beekeeping that local conditions have a big part in a hive's ability to deal with SHB. In the beginning, my hives were quarantined and state-mandated treatments were applied. Basically none of these treatments had any significant effect. What worked best for me was to make sure my hives were in full sun (all day sun) and keep colonies strong. Of course you really need to watch splits and unattended honey supers. None of what I have said here is new, but the point I'd like to make is that before you run out and get the latest chems to throw into your hive first assess whether you have a "real" problem. I personally believe (again, locally at least) that strong colonies can manage a certain population of beetles with minimal impact. Since the first two years of my SHB experience, I have stopped all treatments and traps. I have become one with the beetle  Of course certain practices have changed, but all is still manageable.


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## fatscher (Apr 18, 2008)

Have any of you all tried the beetle jail?
Small Hive Beetle Goes to Jail


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

Mike Snodgrass said:


> Cd traps with combat platinum in them with a little pollen in the middle didnt lure or trap a sngl SHB in my hives this late summer/fall. I finally pulled them and said heck with it. Going with the oil/beetle traps.


Mike, The roach gel needs to be mixed with a pollen substitute or pollen that has been mixed with honey or syrup and allowed to ferment.


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

fatscher said:


> Have any of you all tried the beetle jail?
> Small Hive Beetle Goes to Jail


Yes, they do work, and would be a major help in prevention when used in a proper control program for a hobbiest or side-liner... They are just not feasible for commercial operations though... 

See thread titled "Is this the answer to SHB?" on this forum...


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## devdog108 (May 7, 2009)

I didnt need to add a pollen substitute or anything else for that matter to get it to work. Just a drop or two in each cd case and bam.....


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## fatscher (Apr 18, 2008)

rrussell6870 said:


> ...They are just not feasible for commercial operations though...


Oh yeah, true, no way. At $35 a pop, you'd be out of business from buying those traps. I bought 2, for my two experimental hives.


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