# Soft SHB treatment



## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

I've googled conventional SHB treatments with coumaphos (an organophosphate) and GardStar (a permethrin). But I don't want to go there.

At least not yet.

I've got SHB in my hives. I don't see the larvae yet, but I've got quite a few loose beetles. Part of my problem is that I've been feeding this yard, which as I've read, only seems to make the situation worse.

My soil type is hard clay and rocky, which we hope will keep the population under control. However, I've got the adult beetles in my hives now.

I've used the Hood trap with good results. Red Wine Vinegar in the center slot seems to draw them in the best (canola oil in the outer slots).

Does anyone have any other suggestions? Hopefully, and preferably, I'm looking for other solutions than the conventional chemical treatments. Are there any soft treatments? Is there an essential oil to add to my fogger to dissuade their presence? Is there something they are attracted to, to which I can add something poisonous (keeping this away from the bees)?

It seems everything else I've read leans heavily on hope of the coumaphos and GardStar.

Thanks,

Grant
Jackson, MO


----------



## Panhandle Bee man (Oct 22, 2003)

First thing is that you are never going to be free of shb. They can and will fly 20 miles a night, and there are a lot more of them in the neighboring woods, and wetlands than are in your hives. 

First thing is to keep strong healthy hives. 

The West hive trap is really effective, and traps mites also. Two or three traps per apiary, on the weakest hives (mite infested) works best. 

hydrated lime (the white stuff) on the ground is effective in killing larva, but is short lived as moisture ruins its effectiveness.

I haven't had any luck killing shb using coumaphos strips and discountinued their use several years ago.

Gardstar on the ground can be effective but the ground needs to be drenched for a long distance it makes it useless (the larva will travel up to 100 yards to pupate).

If your hives are getting overwhelmed with the shb the best course of action is to move the hives, the beetles do not like the hives being moved, and will go look for a new home.

Formic acid treatments seems to drive away a lot of beetles (during the first week or two), after that the beetles will return.

Feeding your bees pollen suplement patties attracts the beetles, and they will lay their eggs in the patties, which can quickly make a huge mess, and loss of a hive.

The beetle problem is at its peak from mid july to mid sept. The beetles love heat and humidty. 

USDA/U fo FL developed yeasts that attract shb, however they can not find a company willing to manufacture/sell them, so the remain off the market.


----------



## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

In tests, I have found that checkmite(coumaphos) strips were very effective. I would never put them directly into a hive due to comb contamination, etc. But used corrected with the cardboard method, and placed on the bottom board and on the inner cover, it was very effective in ridding the hives of almost all shb. I say "almost" because once you have them in the area, you will no doubt see one ot two from time to time.

Borax sprinkled under the hive from time to time will also help with lavae ground development. But a good number of larvae will pupate in the hive if the need exists, and areas of opportunity are presented.

I have also found that not all hives deal with the shb the same. Evaluating your bees for selection for queen rearing and splits should be considered.

Strong hives and knowing that a few in a strong hive poses no real threat is something that we must learn to live with.


----------



## Robert166 (Mar 12, 2005)

#1 West hive beetle trap. It works period!

#2 Remove enough supers to really fill the hive full of bees.{you can put them back on in a week if you see there are as many beetles inside}. The bees will run the beetles into the trap if there isn't much room for the beetles to hide.

#3 If the hive is to weak consider combining with another.

I have 4 hives 2 strong 2 weak. The weak have had the problems overcoming the beetles. One weak was destroyed by them before I knew what had happened!

The beetles can take a hive down fast! I tried Check-Mite strips. Never again, I think it has made the queens less effective, laying patterns etc. No more chemicals for me.

That's what I did and it has worked for me.


----------



## kenpkr (Apr 6, 2004)

I have used a West hive beetle trap but took it off recently. It was full of hive debris and beetles. I didn't check it as often as I should have because it was hard to get to it being on the bottom of the hive. I read recently of someone here that devised a spacer so that the trap could be removed and emptied without having to take off every super to get to it. Does anyone know how that was done. 

Also, if your hives aren't in maximum sun exposure, move them somewhere so that they are. I've read and heard from area beeks that SHB do better where its shady.


----------



## Dave W (Aug 3, 2002)

kenpkr . . .

Could you push/pull the trap using a "coat hanger" hook through hive entrance?


----------



## wayacoyote (Nov 3, 2003)

I do as Dave mentioned, pulling it out with the hive tool from the front. I use smoke of course.

I'm using Diatomaceous earth instead of oil. I didn't do a comparision, just relying on others' comments. Because of that, the tray should be easier to deal with for cleaning.

Waya


----------



## JBird (Feb 2, 2006)

I had SHB in all three of my hives at home and have kept the infestation under control simply by covering the debris tray beneath the screened bottom boards beneath each hive with a small layer of diatomaceous earth (DE). When the SHB larvae drop from the combs, they fall into the DE and dessicate. I realize SHB can complete their life cycle without leaving the hive to pupate, but the majority of larvae seem to try to leave the hive. I haven't seen a single SHB larvae in any of these hives in a few weeks and I check the trays daily. Granted my hives weren't totally overrun with SHB, but this method of dealing with them seems to have essentially eliminated SHB for these hives.


----------



## MichaelW (Jun 1, 2005)

Does the hood trap need to be emptied often? 

I'm thinking about putting them in mateing nucs next spring. For my small scale queen rearing, I'm makeing 4-5 frame nucs. At first there will be 2 frames with a follower board to mate the queen, then I'll add frames to make up nucs, but I'm concerned about the empty area as a refuge for bettles. It could be a good place to set a trap!?


----------



## Troy (Feb 9, 2006)

I have a few of the West Beetle Traps and they seem to work pretty well.

I'm going to drill a couple small holes in the front of mine so I can pull them out with a coat hanger like someone above mentioned.

The thing I was wondering about is the SBB. Those of you using the West Beetle tray please tell me are you placing the tray on top of the screen, or using a different bottom board when using the trap or what?

It seems to me that once the tray is full of oil it is kind of heavy and that extra strain on the SBB is not such a good idea. 

On one hive I am using the West Trap and a fixed bottom board so that I don't stretch or strain the wire screen bottom board.

Troy


----------



## sc-bee (May 10, 2005)

The hood I'd say depends on bees more than anything. I didn't check mine like I should and instead of building drone around the trap to remove like I thought they wood they enclosed around it with honey comb!!!
As you see I didn't check it for a long time (the beetles were under control and I just forgot


----------



## snarky (Oct 6, 2006)

I Modified the hive base to create a drawer under the SBB, that I open from the back. I used a couple pieces of angle iron to make drawer glides and cut a slot in the back of the base that matches the tray. I put about 1/4 inch of oil in there. Found a few beetles, few larvae and a couple mites (got most of the beetles with the trap in the conventional configuration.) With this configuration, I can check it as often as I like without bothering anything.


----------



## Albert (Nov 12, 2006)

Evening Folks,

Hey I bumped into this earlier.
Small Hive Beetle Trap and FGMO 

I'm useing the bottle trap and the sawdust/entry box thing.

Albert


----------



## nutso (Jul 8, 2006)

I've used the west trays for 2 years now. These things really work though they take some looking after. 

I started out using food oil the first year then switched to ditomacious earth last year to try to limit the mess from the oil. Both work - I think the oil is the more effective in killing larvae, beetles and whatever else drops in there - they just suffocate. I noticed beetles trying to crawl out of the DE though there were dead ones in the tray. 

There's a certain amount of maintenance necessary with these trays, if they're full of dead beetles/stuff - the trays have to be dumped occasionally and refilled - be forwarned this can be very nasty and disgusting stuff. 

I modified my hive set up so my trays are accessed from the back of the hive and I can just jimmie them out with my hive tool if they've become stuck with propolis. They are usually easy to pull out.

The real answer is to do whatever it takes to make your hives strong.


----------



## tecumseh (Apr 26, 2005)

panhandle sezs:
The West hive trap is really effective

tecumseh ask:
what is your 'source' of the trap?


----------



## nutso (Jul 8, 2006)

*West beetle trap source*

I've bought them from Dadant and from Brushy Mtn both. I think they're around $11 or $12 dollars each. They look sort of like hard plastic broiler pans that sit under the hive in place of the bottom board.

Seems like they're sort of hidden in the catalogs.


----------



## Panhandle Bee man (Oct 22, 2003)

Dadant's or Fred Rossman. Fred makes a modified bottom board, that allows for the tray to be emptied out the back and when the tray isn't in place, it is a SBB. Fred's set-up is a little pricey for me, however it isn't patented, so get one and copy it.


----------



## Bizzybee (Jan 29, 2006)

Doh!! Fred's shootin lightening bolts at you right now!!


----------



## GaSteve (Apr 28, 2004)

>I'm useing the bottle trap...

I tried them once. It attracted a wide variety of critters, but not one SHB. I may have hung them too close to the hive.


----------



## nsmith1957 (Sep 7, 2006)

Panhandle Bee man said:


> ...... however it isn't patented, so get one and copy it.


That's like saying, "If there is no lock on the hen house, then take all the hens you want." Sounds like someone is trying to propagate theft.


----------

