# hive beetle blocker- anyone used this?



## SallyD (Mar 12, 2011)

Has anyone used this? Just wondering what your thoughts were? 
http://www.blythewoodbeecompany.com/product/beetle-blocker-shim/


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## PepperBeeMan (Apr 27, 2016)

Yesterday after work, I watched a SHB fly down, land on the front of hive, swing straight in the front entrance.


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## gumbi17 (Jun 8, 2015)

I'd like to know if it works or not, but it seems in the last few year tons of gimmicks have come onto the market for SHB!


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

clark taplin was selling them on facebook for some time before Scott started carrying them. A lot of rave reviews, does you no good if you have a top entrance or old leaky boxes.


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

Looks likes a cross between SBB and beetle baffle, bees chases beetles down they can't crawl back because of the downward lip on the holes.


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## flatrockboy (Apr 6, 2014)

My wife and I use the beetle blaster traps. She makes a concoction of rotten banana juice, apple cider vinegar, veg. oil, and water, and fills the traps about 1/3 full, with a trap in each box. Does well although we haven't seen many beetles so far this year.


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## max2 (Dec 24, 2009)

I can't work out how they work?
If SHB can get in I assume bees would too?

The video is not clear.
Does anybody have any experience with this?


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## frustrateddrone (Jan 31, 2015)

max2 said:


> I can't work out how they work?
> If SHB can get in I assume bees would too?
> 
> The video is not clear.


The mason Jar has 1/8" hardware cloth on it. I have seen where people poke a few larger holes in the screen as larger beetles can pass down.

If your doing any serious beetle irradiation, As noted before that you have to seal the bee hive up. No top entrances, foam on the bee hive box tops and all small gaps sealed with paint caulk. If you use this in conjunction with the never wet with metal flashing strips, I would say that your beetle problem will cease to be a problem.

I live in Texas where it's hot and I don't have a problem with them. I introduced them by bringing back a removal. Never will do that again. Quarantine them yes.


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

It looks like beetles could just fly up the holes.I know people dont like using those brittle cd cases but I use them with a mix of boric,pollen substitute,honey,a little water,vegetable oil to keep it from drying out and killed lots of beetles.One day I added some apple cider vinegar and that really got them.I went from tons of beetles to hardly a beetle at all now.Pulled some full supers of honey last week and only saw about three beetles and now only have a very few hives with the cd's in.The vinegar really drew them in to the cd's. I wish they made those cd cases out of better plastic.I have tried the beetle barns but beetles just didnt go in them much and bees propolized up the small holes in them really quick.


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## Rob S (Nov 8, 2005)

Just keep a good queen...solves many problems


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## Beetle Blocker Shims (Jun 6, 2017)

SallyD said:


> Has anyone used this? Just wondering what your thoughts were?
> http://www.blythewoodbeecompany.com/product/beetle-blocker-shim/


I'm the manufacturer of the Beetle Blocker Shims....
They absolutely work!
Over 2000 sold and not a single complaint.....
Go to www.blockthebeetle.com to find out how they work.
Or feel free to contact me at: 615-390-7556


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## Beetle Blocker Shims (Jun 6, 2017)

The bees keep them away from the holes, all the years I've tested them I've only seen one Beetle fly up, and that was during an inspection with sunlight shining down through the hole.


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## Kcnc1 (Mar 31, 2017)

I'm a first year beekeeper and my hives need to be in the shade due to my yard layout. I had a beginning infestation with SHB earlier in the year. I got beetle jails and never saw one beetle in them, still has many running around. So I got both freeman style beetle traps for bottom boards ( basically a screen bees can't get through that beetles can with a pan of oil below) and put the neverwet flashing strips along the top 3 sides of this ( not the front) of this , with one on the bottom of the front of my brood chamber. I then put foam tape on the bo Tom of brood chambers and supers to close any gaps. 

So far this has solved the problem. I have not seen a live beetle in 3-4 weeks. Only 7 found dead in the oil during this period. 

As I said I am a first year beekeeper and have read the SHB problem worsens later in the summer. So fingers crossed.


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## UpstateSC (Mar 31, 2017)

I'm in a similar situation as Kcnc1. New beekeeper with two first year hives in a mostly shaded area. Just three days after installing packages I saw my first shb and it's been a problem ever since. I tried a beetle jail on top of a frame and caught quite a few, so I know they were making it to the upper portion of the brood chambers. I've added freeman style bottom boards to both hives, and also added a Beetle Blocker shim to hive #1. Hive #2 just has the freeman board.

I have to say, the Beetle Blocker really does seem to work. I'm not finding any beetles above the shim on hive #1, but hive #2 has some in the upper portion of the box at every inspection. So far, so good. The next step will be to install the Neverwet strips on hive #2 and see how they compare.

As stated above sealing all gaps is going to be the key to making either one of these work.

Pete


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## leww37334 (Jun 28, 2019)

Ok I have a screened bottom boards, if i put this on top of the SBB assuming it traps the beetles between the shim and the sbb , how does it kill the beetles?


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

1) I commend you on finding a working link. current link = https://blythewoodbeecompany.com/product/clarks-beetle-blocker-shim-hive-beetle-prevention/
2) it doesn't kill the beetles, it's supposed to block them from getting in. An oil trap below your screen BB would kill them. something like this..
https://eheartwood.com/product/original-freeman-beetle-trap-bottom-wtray-10-frame/
https://www.arbico-organics.com/product/4712/small-hive-beetle-control-aethina-tumida


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