# Small Cell Prevents SHB



## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

Last summer I had the same numbers of SHB in my small cell colonies as I had in my standard sized cell colonies. The low number was 4 and no colony had more than 25. How well they herd they depends on the strain of bee.

I keep as large an adult bee population as I can and use hygenic bees so the bettles have not been a problem, yet. When I open the colonies in March I'll get some idea of how many beetles overwintered this year.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

odfrank....it strikes me as ridiculous.
SHB easily travel through my 8 mesh screen bottoms. 8 mesh = 1/8 in = 0.125inch
4.7mm = .185inch
Further yet....it isn't necessary for beetles to enter cells anyway. They oviposit their eggs through the caps on bee pupae. 
Absolutely ridiculous.


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

Complete Fabrication. SHB get in and out of natural cell just fine... infact we have been watching some in a natural comb OB hive and they are staying in the cell, in the cluster, and making bees feed them... seem quite comfortable to me! PS..these natural combs are 4.8mm


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

...i agree, i've seen shb in sc comb....plenty in florida.

with that said, i've been through all of dee's hives more than once with her, and although i have seen some mites (even photographed 2 of them), i can't recall ever seeing a SHB...if there were any, they were totally inconsequential. i haven't been through other hives in that part of arizona, so i don't know if they are to be expected there or not.

i'll also say that when we spoke at the Florida State Beekeeping Conference, we were told that large hives/unlimited broodnest cannot work there due to SHB. the one beekeeper in florida i know who uses unlimited broodnest has been harvesting honey, keeping the hives large, not feeding sugar, and is not having a problem with SHB....which i find surprising, as everything else we have seen in florida is given the slightest opportunity, SHB will take over.

deknow


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## mythomane (Feb 18, 2009)

All I run is small cell (12 yrs), and they are rampant, though I have a handle on them. They love moisture and the dark! Hives from Georgia, Florida, etc are full of them. In Arizona, where Dee is, it is very hot and very dry. SHB cannot stand it. Her bees are also a little aggressive. Much has been said about Dee running without treatments, but her situation is certainly helped by the weather she has. That dry sun burns out many pests, and other things such as bacteria/virus/mold problems have a harder time getting a foothold. She also does not move her bees out to the almonds, etc. as far as I know, and so is moderately isolated. Pulled some hives in here from Florida a few years back crawling with them. After 3 years they are there but in pretty small numbers. FULL SUN and STRONG POPULATIONS help a great deal. SC is a nice addition to my IPM, not a magic bullet, and does nothing for the SHB as far as I can tell. Maybe they are a little lighter and faster, though...


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