# SHB and dryer sheets



## johnwratcliff (Feb 24, 2015)

I saw a video on you tube and a guy was using dryer sheets for SHB. Seemed pretty effective but got a few bees trapped. Has any one used this method? I would like to stay as treatment free as possible but I am starting to have issues with Beatles. What are your thoughts? Anyone use them?


----------



## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

I am currently working on a trap using dryer sheets in a frame with a #8 screen over it to keep the bees out. Used dryer sheet vacuum up hive beetles like nothing else I've ever seen, but too many bees get stuck on them and cannot get free. The screen should keep them out while letting all the beetles starve.

If you do use them, fold them up so the bees cannot get into them (into fours, I think) and put it in the corner under the top cover. The beetles will make a nice one-way trip into the folds and the bees can't get it so much. They will still be stuck between the frames, though.

Peter


----------



## johnwratcliff (Feb 24, 2015)

Can you post a pic of the frame you are working on? Sounds interesting


----------



## johnbeejohn (Jun 30, 2013)

there was a post posted las year sometime that someone was usung one of the cheap picnic table covers seemed to work well with same idea


----------



## kaizen (Mar 20, 2015)

I saw that video too. when he picked it up there were like 40 that scattered in addition to the ones in the sheet. is it just the material that gets them stuck? whats the concept I guess is what I'm asking


----------



## Bowfinger (Apr 17, 2015)

yes I saw a youtube video of it. Tried just putting the dryer sheet on top. It cought 50 bees and ONE beetle. Bad. 

You say a trap with this stuff in it. that would be good. I be you could fold a piece of foil up with a dryer sheet in it and catch them. Small Hive Beetles will go into the folds of foil I have had in as a feeder drip pan before. Maybe I'll try it.


----------



## DJS (May 7, 2012)

I used Swiffer cleaning pads cut in half last year(if cut to small the bees would haul them out of hive). Stuck them under the inner cover where I see most of the beetles. After a week or so I would catch 20 to 40 SHB in them and then replace them with new ones. It is not the answer to the SHB issue but just one more tool to help control their numbers. I did catch a bee or two in them also.


----------



## Scpossum (May 4, 2014)

I have used them all of last year. Might have caught a total of10 bees all summer. Let's see, 5-10 bees vs 200-300 shb. I'll take that ratio. I put them at the back corner of the hive and cut in half.


----------



## Bowfinger (Apr 17, 2015)

Did you use dryer sheets or swiffer sheets. If dryer sheets did you use new ones with scent or used ones? I'm doing something wrong.

BF


----------



## Scpossum (May 4, 2014)

I use the swiffer generic pads from the dollartree that are unscented. I place them at the back corner of the hive. I think they come in a 10/$1 pack. I just pulled one that has been in the hive since November and it had zero bees in it, but a ton of shb. This was a deep that the hive clustered in and I know they had to be all around it. The reason I know this is it was 70+ degrees on Christmas day.


----------



## rmcpb (Aug 15, 2012)

I tried putting the dryer sheet in an old, thin CD case with the tabs broken out. Bees acn't get in but the beetles can and get trapped.


----------



## Ddawg (Feb 17, 2012)

I haven't tied it yet, but they guy that was telling me about it said he would ruff the sheets up in his hands a bit to make it easier to trap beetles. Says they work great. Im gonna give it a try.


----------



## Groundhwg (Jan 28, 2016)

psfred said:


> I am currently working on a trap using dryer sheets in a frame with a #8 screen over it to keep the bees out. Used dryer sheet vacuum up hive beetles like nothing else I've ever seen, but too many bees get stuck on them and cannot get free. The screen should keep them out while letting all the beetles starve.
> 
> If you do use them, fold them up so the bees cannot get into them (into fours, I think) and put it in the corner under the top cover. The beetles will make a nice one-way trip into the folds and the bees can't get it so much. They will still be stuck between the frames, though.
> 
> Peter


Peter,
Just bought some sheets to use and wanted to make sure I understood how to use them. They are to be placed right on top of the frames under the inner cover, right?


----------



## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Fold them up and stick them in a corner. They work best AFTER they've been used in the dryer, or get unscented Swiffer sheets.

If you spread them out you catch too many bees, folded up the bees will chase the beetles in on a one way trip.

Peter


----------



## tech.35058 (Jul 29, 2013)

I used either "Bounce with Outdoor Fresh" or "BestChoice Free &Clean",( there are two pkgs on top of dryer, I dunno which she used that day) just laid a sheet on top of the inner cover. These were used sheets.
Also added one sheet to another hive w/o an innder cover, just laid on top of the frames, then later put a super over it.
These hives are carniolian mutts.
There were not shb present yet, did this as a preventative.
with the sheet over the inner cover, the bees had dragged a corner down through the vent hole, & had started to frazzle it.
Where the sheet was between the top bars of the lower box & the bottom bars of the upper box, there were a _lot_ of dead bees in the frazzled remains of the dryer sheet. there was also what appeared to be a wax moth cocoon. There were no shb in the hive or in the dryer sheets. You will probably want to do different than I did, & maybe not leave them in too long. I suspect any area the bees cannot work is an invitation to wax moths & such. ( I guess)
Just sharing ... CE


----------

