# Are SHB a Problem in Your Area?



## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

The UK will soon have Small Hive Beetles in their area. It's only a matter of time before honey bee imports from Europe infest the country. It may be that the temperatures and soil types in the UK will result in only minor damage by SHB. 

In this country, SHB are a real problem in some areas, while in other places only a minor nuisance. It seems that in warmer areas of the southeast US, SHB can over run honey bee colonies, and be a real issue with small mating nucs. Up here in the northeast, I see a few beetles in the summer, a few larvae here and there, and once in awhile, I see some in my hot room. 

So, I'm attempting to discover just where and how far north on the east coast of the US SHB and a real issue. 

For instance, in North Carolina, there are 3 zones...costal, piedmont, and mountains. I know that in the coastal regions, with high temperatures and lighter soils, SHB can be overwhelming. In the Piedmont, they are less of an issue, but still a possible issue, while in the mountains much less of an issue. Have I got it right?

So I'm wondering just how far north SHB can be an overwhelming problem, a minor problem, or nor real problem at all.

Please report your state, the area within that state, soil types, temperatures, and to what degree Small Hive Beetles effect your apiaries.


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## Bob J (Feb 25, 2013)

Eastern Massachusetts (Boston area)
Hard packed clay
Normal seasonal temperatures (sea level)
Two outyards with 9 colonies and have never seen a beetle

My son has two colonies also in this area but in a wooded/shaded area (rich loam soil) and not in the open like mine and he is always fighting SHB. Not overwhelming but they are always there and he does everything he can to deal with them....


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## Scotty P's Bees (Sep 15, 2015)

I live in S Florida. We have sandy soil.
If your hive cant defend against SHB, you don't want those bees..
Just my 2 cents.
The only time I have seen adverse affects are when you do a cutout and leave brood comb. I no longer leave any comb so I never have problems.


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## Pooh Bear (Jun 19, 2015)

Westchester County, just north of NYC: Zip 10573
Silty sandy soil with grass
Normal Seasonal Temperature 
Have seen a few beetles but they haven't managed to get a strangle hold on my hives

BTW, the UK and Ireland have seasonably warm winters and mild summers thanks to the Gulf Stream current (grew up in Dublin, Ireland). Winters rarely get below freezing for any long period of time so I think SHB would actually be a real menace. They don't get anything close to the winters we have here in northeastern US


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## johno (Dec 4, 2011)

North Eastern Virginia, quite a heavy soil, this year beetles are starting to become a problem. After the worst winter that I have experienced in 12 years the beetles are here and seem to be thriving and I will have to find a way to deal with them next season.
Johno


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## BeeMoose (Oct 19, 2013)

I live in Ohio in the Southeast quadrant. We have clay type soil I the area I live in. Temperature averages are in the 80 degrees in the summer to below 0 at times in winter.

I have seen more SHB in my hives this year than last. This is my second year so take that with a grain of salt.

I have 3 new hives I purchased from California this year that seam to have more SHB than the three I established last year.

I am using the Beetle Blaster traps now and the seek and destroy method as well.


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## dadandsonsbees (Jan 25, 2012)

Hey Michael,
My info is as follows:
State:North Carolina
Town: Bayboro, Pamlico County ( coastal area)
Soil Type: Mix of Sandy and light topsoil
Temperature: Normal Coastal Temps 
Effect of Small Hive Beetles: Small Hive Beetles are a major problem in this area. If gone untreated or do not possess a REAL Strong hive they will devastate a hive in a short period of time. We in this area are in a constant battle with them. All it takes is a short period of Neglect and you've lost a hive.


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## Robbin (May 26, 2013)

I'm in NW Florida, just north of Crestview. 
Soil type: Sandy and light
Temps: hot humid summers, short winters.
SHB are very bad, I've started putting oil trays on all my hives and now all my mating nucs. Nucs are much more easily overwhelmed by the SHB because they don't have the numbers of bees that mature hives do.


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Upstate, NY, river valley...
I had a bout with hive beetle last season which I attribute to my ignorance. Normally the soil around here is not beneficial for the little buggers but when a bill board sign was constructed 50 ft away from my hives they brought in 60 yards of sand to raise the height of the land so they could raise the height of the sign. I am back to seeing just a few beetles in the hives this year, thank God.


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## julieandwadeshelton (Oct 10, 2014)

1st year beek
Southwestern Piedmont Virginia
Our county has different soil ranges; rich soil, red mud clay. We have rolling hills to really flat areas
Last winter we had single digit spells in Feb, record lows for us. Summer can reach upper 90's. Humid!
I am gathering SHB is worse this year according to what the old beeks are saying. They are telling me they have had no problems in the past with them. I think that is changing. There are beeks here that have a few visible in their hive with no real threat, and beeks here that have lost nucs to them. I was sort of blindsided post spring extraction with a boom of shb. I finally resorted to oil trap bottom boards, and still have some beetles, but have not been slimed out.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

I know I'm not on the east coast, but...

Clinton, Iowa - Eastern tip of the state.
Soil varies from heavy clay to nearly pure sand depending where you're at and how that spot relates to where the Mississippi and glaciers did their thing. We are mostly fertile crop land, as you'd expect, however.

Personally, I have never seen a SHB. I've got colonies from full sun to nearly full shade.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Northeast Illinois
Rich black soil (this is farm country)
Seasonal temps: http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/chicago/illinois/united-states/usil0225
Beetles here are the same as MP observes. A couple here and there, but no impact on the bees.


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## Jim Brewster (Dec 17, 2014)

First year beek here with two hives. I'm in central Maryland just outside Baltimore and just on the coastal plain side of the fall line. My yard has clay soil but sand dominates just a few miles to the south. I had a few beetles through the summer. There were lots of them in August, like dozens per frame in one hive, but I only saw one larva and no evidence of sliming. Last week after some cooler weather there were fewer beetles, no sliming and plenty of capped honey. It seems the bees are dealing with them, but I feel I will need to be vigilant and proactive in the future, especially if I'm running nucs or keeping hives over sand.

As far as temperatures, we're zone 7a/7b. Some winters (like the last two) snowy with occasional single-digit lows, others much milder. Summers hot and humid with sustained highs in the 90's. Average last frost mid-April; first frost late October.


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## Clayton Huestis (Jan 6, 2013)

Mike,

I'm in the champlain valley just like you.(same soil/ temps, NY) I almost never see them.


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## Norcalkyle (Apr 23, 2015)

North West California
Mild climate
Mixed soil area but mostly good rich soil
Saw 1 SHB that drown in the sugar water in my top feeder this year... nothing since


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## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Southeast Ohio here, good top soil with hives located at the edge of the woods. Seen a few beetles last year however this year I have seen around a dozen nuisance beetles in a few of my hives, I have hopes that things won't worsen. I am considering building a new type of beetle deterrent system this winter and give it a try next year. Last year I purchased West Hive Beetle traps for the hives and installed them this past spring, what a waste of time and money that was, they caused more problems then they cured, I would like to have my time and money back from that little venture.


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## The General (Apr 22, 2014)

Western Kentucky, 60 miles from MS river.
Fair climate, very few days below zero during the winter.
Heavy clay soil. 
SHBs are a very huge problem here. If you make a weak nuc or have a weak hive after july, SHBs will kill it.


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## julieandwadeshelton (Oct 10, 2014)

WWW said:


> Southeast Ohio here, good top soil with hives located at the edge of the woods. Seen a few beetles last year however this year I have seen around a dozen nuisance beetles in a few of my hives, I have hopes that things won't worsen. I am considering building a new type of beetle deterrent system this winter and give it a try next year. Last year I purchased West Hive Beetle traps for the hives and installed them this past spring, what a waste of time and money that was, they caused more problems then they cured, I would like to have my time and money back from that little venture.


What did you dislike about your west traps?


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## Kamon A. Reynolds (Apr 15, 2012)

North Middle Tennessee.
Semi sub tropical 
light rocky soil

We have colonies that are double deeps that have 30-40 beetles under the lid. Our breed of bees can handle them fine unless the beekeeper is getting to greedy on his splits. Or a colony starts failing and the beekeeper doesn't catch it. One of the key ways to make late splits against the SHB is if you make a 3 frame split shake in 5 frames worth of bees. 

Its hard to say how far north. Like you mentioned temperature and soil play big roles. 
Always have more bees than you have comb in splits or queen rearing nucs.


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## biggraham610 (Jun 26, 2013)

Central Virginia. Farmland Soil/Natural Hardwood Earth. 

I always see a few, but the bees are seemingly keeping them corralled. I smash them when I can. I see more of course in the home yard, which is cut out of an Old Growth Oak Forest. Less direct sunlight. Rarely see one at the farm yard, Full Sun. G


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## ChrisBex (Jul 24, 2014)

Southern Mississippi 20 miles from the gulf. 
You already know what I'm going to say so I'll leave it at that.


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## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

julieandwadeshelton said:


> What did you dislike about your west traps?


Ants started nesting under them, the bees made good progress in propolizing the the grid openings shut, and the thing that bothered me the most was they protruded beyond the front of the hives making it impossible to use any type of entrance reducer.


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## julieandwadeshelton (Oct 10, 2014)

WWW said:


> Ants started nesting under them, the bees made good progress in propolizing the the grid openings shut, and the thing that bothered me the most was they protruded beyond the front of the hives making it impossible to use any type of entrance reducer.


Were you using just the west traps, or combined with the screened bottom board? I use the SBB.. the tray pulls from the back side of the hive.. I have entrance reducers on the fronts. I have no propolizing issues either, I'm assuming b/c they don't really propolize the screen.


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## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

I don't want this subject to be a distraction from Micheal Palmer's intent of the thread so I will just say that I run solid bottom boards, I am glad that your experience with these traps was good, my results were disappointing to say the least. could be these West Traps were meant to be used on screened bottom boards, I placed them in storage so perhaps some day I will get the itch to redesign my bottom boards and give them another try .


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## Eikel (Mar 12, 2014)

Southern Il
heavy clay soil
moderate temps (a few days below zero, a few weeks above 100)

Very wet spring/early summer, SHB count was low. Normally SHB is more of a nuisance pest for a strong hive but can quickly overrun a weak hive .


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## Barhopper (Mar 5, 2015)

I agree with the post above. In our area Dadant's sells a screened bottom board with the west trap. It goes in the back. My experience is exactly opposite of WWW. I lost a hive to sliming. Got the above mention traps. Couldn't be happier with the results. We seem to be a breeding ground for them in Florida. But that's not news to anyone who lives here. I also agree that full sun and strong hives help. Being an urban beekeeper I don't always get to place hives where I would like to. Sometimes partial to mostly shady areas are what's offered. I also believe that cleaning under the hive stand helps.


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

E central IL
zone 5 
Sandy clay loam soil

few reports of hives each yr getting slimed. I see a few here and there and they will overwinter in a hive here. The only trouble I ever had was in a 5 frame med nuc that I rubberbanded old brood comb into


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

NY
St Lawrence County, aka The North Country
Don't know soil type. Farm land.
Seasonally variable temps.
I experience no detrimental effects from SHB.

I travel to and from SC and bring SHB back to NY with me. But I see no detrimental effects in my hives or anywhere else, even when they are in SC.

I know people in NY, in the Ithaca area, who don't migrate who are very careful about getting their honey extracted quickly so their honey does not sit in a honey house long enough for SHB to do damage. For many years honey houses have been considered the greatest problem for beekeepers when it comes to SHB.


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## mgstei1 (Jan 11, 2014)

They are an ever increasing pest here in Brazoria County.
Behind the mites and sometimes that's debatable.
Give me wax moths, stolen hives, Africanized inbred muts and daytime skeeter sprayers to deal with and it would make beekeeping so much more pleasurable anytime over the SHB's and mites.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Not much issue here in the Sacramento area, I saw a record amount of beetles this year though, about 8 of them over the season, mostly in my urban hives where the soils are cooler/grassy. I know the coastal areas might be worse, but the dry valley climates seem to keep them in check. I think the lack of feral hives plays into it as well, but it's pretty dry and hot, I wouldn't want to have to drop out and pupate in the ground during summer since it's pretty much clay concrete that's scorching hot during the day.


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## psnolte (Sep 4, 2011)

Seattle, Washington
Soil tends to be fairly clay-y
Mild climate (25-85, plus some outliers each year) 
Rainy Fall/Spring, dry winter/summer
In 5 years, I've never seen a SHB. Can't think of anyone else in the area that has either.


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## rkereid (Dec 20, 2009)

Mike,

Mountains of southwest VA, 2000 ft elev, low extremes are -15 to -20 F. once every few years, but typically 0 to 5 F. would be our normal lowest temperature. Our soils are clayey. I saw my first small hive beetles 6 years ago in a swarm. Since then I see them in most hives, some don't show any and others I may see 6 or 10, usually on the periphery of the colony. Often they are propolized in the top over the top bars. The only time they have been an issue is when the bees can't eat the whole pollen patty in a split or a hive becomes queenless and dwindles in the summer. In both cases, the SHB lays in the patty, the pollen, or the beebread. Less than a week later and the frames are crawling with 1000s of larva. 

I see them as opportunists much like wax moths. They are not a problem in strong healthy hives.

Your description of NC and SHB is similar to VA from what I've heard from people to the east of us in the piedmont and coastal areas. Beekeepers in those areas claim to have more problems than we do. 

Richard


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## ilikebs (Jan 3, 2013)

I am in the southwestern corner of Indiana.
Heavy loam and clay. 
35 hives and the SHB have been getting worse every year. This year I would guess some hives have had as 40 while some hives I may only see 5-6.
Three years ago it was rare to see one in a hive.


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## Jason (Nov 19, 2010)

Michael,
My info is as follows:
State: North Carolina
Town: Durham, Durham County (piedmont area)
Soil Type: Mix of Sand and light Clay
Temperature: Hot summers (80-100), mild wet winters (20-50's)
Effect of Small Hive Beetles: Small Hive Beetles are a major problem in this area. If the hives are weak they can be wiped out very quick. Also feeding patties needs to be modified, maybe a 1/4 to 1/2 pound at a time, nothing more than the bees eat in a few days or you are asking for trouble.


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## beecole (Nov 25, 2011)

Reidville, SC 29369 ( upstate SC) year 5
deciduous area with clay soil
Only defense against SHB is a strong hive.
A weak hive is a dead hive.


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## jbeshearse (Oct 7, 2009)

No problem here in NW Florida


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## rfgreenwell (Feb 14, 2010)

Southern Maryland
7B. Sand and sandy loam
SHB is and major nuisance for me. I run 75-100 hives, 60 4x4's, 40 5x5's, & 60 1/2 frame minis. Full hives carry huge loads of beetles and I've lost many frames to sliming over the past few years if they get a foothold, as well as the occasional weak hive being overrun if I get behind. Nucs suffer, and I have about given up on minis. When I had my commercial inspection in March this year, we found active SHB larva in patties a week old from beetles overwintering with the cluster in a number of 4x4 nucs. During a nematode trial study last year, I was counting in excess of 150 beetles in the 24 hour trap on test hives. This was well after nematode application by the way. I live with them, using only bottom oil pans, and strive to keep everybody strong, but my hives just have to handle them best they can or they get eliminated.


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## DanielD (Jul 21, 2012)

Southeast Missouri, mostly clay soils. Summer highs 90's with rare 100 degrees. Winter below zero occasionally, down to 20 below on a very rare occasion. Hives in full sun and I have yet to see one, or any evidence. I have heard of them being a problem with weak hives in NE Missouri. Not a long time keeper though.


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## devil dog (Jul 1, 2014)

Very Northeast corner of Texas. Sandy/light clay soil. 
I lost two of eleven hives this year to SHB because I failed to put oil in my trays in a timely manner. This allowed the build up of organic material to the point where the beetles could lay eggs and the bees couldn't get to them. This allowed a brood rearing area for the larva. Almost lost all my hives. 
All my hives have Kelly bottom boards with Freeman oil trays. They cost quite a bit more than other bottom boards but they keep the beetles down. As long as I do my part the beetles are kept under control. 
Bottom line is the beetles will slime your hive if you don't keep up with what you need to be doing to care for your bees.


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## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

Western West Virginia right on the Kentucky boarder here. 
Soil type is standard loam/clay mix for the most part.
Daytime temps in the spring range from 50 to 75, Summer temps from 70 to 95+, Fall temps from 50 to 75, Winter temps from -10 to 40. Nighttime temps here can drop to 50 in summer.
In my apiary I have found about a dozen SHB all year. They met their maker. lol 
Other areas in the state are different. I have my hives in a valley between mountains. We are about 580 ft above sea level here.

Was just in all 26 of my hives a while ago and found NO beetles at all.


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## kengineer (Jul 4, 2015)

Central Minnesota, still in denial about my infestation.

I found them while feeding pollen patties this summer and the maggots (larva) spotted infesting a patty. 

Went overboard with oil traps, They must have been from that dam Texas Nuc! They couldn't have wintered over here. 

Just for grins, I put traps in a hive 200 yards away that froze out and was reloaded with a package. I found a few in all my hives, how could that be? 

They must freeze out when all my bees died last winter? I am in Minnesota, I don't have to worry about them, right? (wrong) My guess is that many more have them but they are not an issue with healthy hives. Just one more thing to deal with I guess. 

Ken


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## Acebird (Mar 17, 2011)

Ken SHB can fly 5 miles so if there was a colony within 5 miles of yours they can infect your hive. If there is not colonies within 5 miles of yours then you would have a hard time mating a virgin queen.


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## Mike Gillmore (Feb 25, 2006)

Are SHB *ONLY* found in Beehives?


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

Northwest Alabama. zone 7B, soil mix of red clay and sand on hills, loam in valleys. SHB definitely a problem, strong hives in the sun are the best way to fight them, that and a fast hand with the hive tool. Lost a nuc last year and one hive the year before, that had gone queenless. I wonder if the fire ants help when the larva leave the hive. I've got lots of fire ants. SHB seem to be less of a problem this year in 95% of my hives, only see a few but not in every hive.


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## miltcook (Jun 13, 2015)

Coastal VA
Sandy loam soil
Highs upper 90s in summer, lows to single digits for a short spell in winter. Most of winter hovers around freezing.
SHB easily can take over a weekened hive. SHB a big problem here.

Milt


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## clyderoad (Jun 10, 2012)

Long Island, NY 
coastal zone 7a
summer temps regularly 80's. extreme 95+. humid
sandy loam
SHB exists. Not yet an issue.


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## charmd2 (May 25, 2008)

mid west Missouri, clay gravel soil. first year as a problem. They were a problem this year. I don't know if it was that they just finally became established enough or if the super wet spring helped them. 

I had hundreds or thousands of shbs at all times in strong hives. weak hives stood no chance. It was a battle from June on.

In previous years I may have seen a dozen all year.


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## manpunchingbear (Jun 26, 2015)

Pittsburgh, PA
Summer temperatures usually around 75 to 85 degrees with some % of days in the high 90's. Winter temperatures average in the 20's to 30's with two to three weeks of sub-zero.
decent top soil covering clay
I would be surprised if I picked off and smashed a dozen SHB in 4 hives this year.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Mike Gillmore said:


> Are SHB *ONLY* found in Beehives?


When they were first found here in the US they became a problem for melon growers, especially cantaloupe growers.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Mike Gillmore said:


> Are SHB *ONLY* found in Beehives?


I've looked into this and I think the answer is yes (80% conf) but there is a related and very similar species that infests melons and maybe other fruit - but shb require bee hives in order to access the protein they need to reproduce. I think.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

SHB are a problem here, but a mangeable one. In my experience they don't destroy healthy hives - but make up a nuc too weak, or let a colony go queenless for more than 4 weeks and they ruin it completely. I don't use oil traps, but I take beetles into consideration with every manipulation. Shake out problem colonies instead of baby them - extract honey and return comb within 24 hrs - make up nucs nice and strong - freeze (or burn) all questionable frames - and of course mind mites and nutrition. 

Also, don't try to save slimed comb - it can be cleaned up, and a strong hive will use it, but it must smell like a car thats had a corpse in it because it will be the first comb the bees abandon in a dearth and it attracts shb like honey attracts bees.

Zone 6, heavy clay soil - most winters mild enough for beetles to overwinter (diapause) in the ground. Beetles can often be found in many hives pretty much year 'round - in rather large numbers from mid summer until onset of winter.

If you would like to study them I can send you a jar full.


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## sunregent (Sep 6, 2014)

Central Maryland zone 7a Anacostia watershed at edge of forest
Soil is sandy, alluvial
3 hives, commonly see about 3-5 beetles per hive.
Crush them meticulously. 
My italians seem hygenic as if I fail to fully crush the SHB fully (injure it) the bees will viciously tear it apart, they instantly notice the damaged ***** in its armor.
My carniolians herd them into the top cover, and imprison them. They may have a method to starve or otherwise kill them as I have seen dead beetles while doing mite counts, I have seen a bee sting a beetle before, but only once.
I have thankfully never seen the beetles drop larva or slime, i believe they fly in from another apiary. When I crush all the beetles they don not soon return.


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## Barry (Dec 28, 1999)

Mike Gillmore said:


> Are SHB *ONLY* found in Beehives?


I'm guessing not.



> _Aethina tumida_ was first named and described by Andrew Murray in 1867 in the “Annals and Magazine of Natural History”, London, from two specimens which were sent to him by the Rev. W. C. Thomson from Old Calabar on the West Coast of Africa, but no mention is made of the insect being associated with honey bees in any way.


http://www.beesource.com/point-of-v...neybees/the-small-hive-beetle-aethina-tumida/


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## DJS (May 7, 2012)

Central AR 40+ hives
Sandy loam soil
Hot humid Summers
SHB in hives in shade almost none in strong hives in full sun.
Hives in shade will loose weak hives to SHB. 
Use oil traps and Swifter pads under inner cover.


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## AHudd (Mar 5, 2015)

West Central Arkansas
7b
Thin topsoil, sandy clay loam 
Hot humid summers
I have only found a few SHB in two years. I was afraid I had started something last year after finding an unconsumed pollen patty infested with larvae in one hive. Lesson learned!
We always have a Fire Ant population here, although it does seem to wax and wane with the severity of the Winters. I tell myself they are responsible for the low population of SHBs, it makes them easier to tolerate.
Hives in full sun.

Alex


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## redmcc (Jan 30, 2003)

Western Iowa Farmland
Zone 4
Loess soil (Loess is an aeolian sediment formed by the accumulation of wind-blown silt)

Temperature reaches -10 frequently in winter for maybe two week period. Hot and humid in summer months. 
Have only seen one or two couple years ago. I suspect they came in with a package of bees originating in Texas, non since


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## xphoney (Nov 7, 2014)

We're not on the eastern seaboard but we have hives in both Central WI and Southern WI.

In western Marathon county they can't live in the soil as frost goes from 2 to 6 feet depending on the snow pack. I've never seen a SHB there. Every winter you get -30 and periodically -40. A couple of weeks to a month of highs not above 0 is routine. Even earwigs freeze out every couple of years.

In Dane county I've not seen any but they come in from the migratory guys. They don't seem to be able to winter here but they do show up.

In Green county I've seen one in a hive in an area with thin soil over stone.

Andrew
XPHoney


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## Robbin (May 26, 2013)

xphoney said:


> We're not on the eastern seaboard but we have hives in both Central WI and Southern WI.
> 
> In western Marathon county they can't live in the soil as frost goes from 2 to 6 feet depending on the snow pack. I've never seen a SHB there. Every winter you get -30 and periodically -40. A couple of weeks to a month of highs not above 0 is routine. Even earwigs freeze out every couple of years.
> 
> ...


WOW.... XPHoney, and you can raise bees there? I'm seriously impressed and I'm going to stop complaining about how hard it is to raise bees here because of the pests. I guess Mr. Bush is like that in North Dakota....
You guys are way tougher than I am...


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I don't know anyone in Nebraska who is having beetle problems. But there are beetles here. It seems like the clay soil, the cold winters and the low humidity keep them at bay.


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## Bdfarmer555 (Oct 7, 2015)

Southeast Missouri
had a hive in a shady location swarm, the beetles moved in. Lost it. 
My hives in full sun seem to have less trouble with them.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

>I see a few beetles in the summer, a few larvae here and there, and once in awhile, I see some in my hot room.

About the same here. What is it with the larvae on the extracting room floor? I have seen that two years now. When I wash the floor with hot water, I think it makes them crawl out of cracks in the concrete floor. We blow the bees off of our crop, so I think we blow out most of the beetles at the same time.


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## Kamon A. Reynolds (Apr 15, 2012)

odfrank said:


> >I see a few beetles in the summer, a few larvae here and there, and once in awhile, I see some in my hot room.
> 
> About the same here. What is it with the larvae on the extracting room floor? I have seen that two years now. When I wash the floor with hot water, I think it makes them crawl out of cracks in the concrete floor. We blow the bees off of our crop, so I think we blow out most of the beetles at the same time.


My wife can't stand that. I told her it was just part of the game...she said this is not a game, its war. I have a pretty cool wife, she loves to kill those things. 

I have heard from friends that robber screens really help with them but I don't know that myself. I just go for big colonies.


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## bw200314 (Sep 3, 2015)

look at Mann Lake. Get the beetle traps they have and the beetle solution to put in them. Found this works better than any kind of oil. Have had real good luck killing the bettles. If beetles are bad usually put 2 traps to brood box.


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## Michael B (Feb 6, 2010)

"Please report your state, the area within that state, soil types, temperatures, and to what degree Small Hive Beetles effect your apiaries."

Massachusetts...South Hadley (Pioneer Valley)...light sandy soil.....cold winters and moderate warm summers.

I have measurable no effect from SHB. They are present in my hives. Usually late in the season (August September). Not sure if they travel on weather patterns. I am starting to watch them more closely to see if I need to start managing them. Even weak hives don't have any ill effect from SHB.

I manage 75 hives.


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## texanbelchers (Aug 4, 2014)

Houston, TX, gumbo soil, Hot & Humid, hives are in 50% shade. They are a problem; shade makes no difference I can tell. "Strong hives" work fine as long as they stay strong; it ties up workers keeping them corralled and when they go for whatever reason the beetles have free run. It is much better to kill them dead (without RAID!)! The only working solution I have found is bottom oil traps. I'm going to switch them to Diatomaceous Earth for the "cold" months because the oil gets messy.

I don't have time to read all the responses. Are you publishing the results of this informal study?


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