# SHB-Anything new to get rid of them?



## jmgi (Jan 15, 2009)

Moving to Alaska?


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## Rohe Bee Ranch (Feb 12, 2008)

LOL, Lived there already and miss it a lot. Not quite the solution I was hoping for...but the fishing and hunting would take up my spare time since I wouldn't be keeping bees up there.


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## Rohe Bee Ranch (Feb 12, 2008)

Opened a hive yesterday that was totally infested with SHB. Looked like it was late August This hive is in the sun and was fairly strong. I reduced it to only a single deep hive body and replaced the frames with new ones that I had kept frozen during the winter filled with honey and pollen along with 3 new frames from another mega strong colony that were filled with brood. I plan on moving this hive to a new fresh beeyard. I'll give this old beeyard a rest for a year. I hope that helps the situation at least.


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## jbeshearse (Oct 7, 2009)

I generally try and stay away from chemical treatment. But that said, I had a varroa infested hive (more than 50 mites on a sugar shake) when I checked a month ago. I lost a mating nuc to beetles also about 3 weeks ago. I used Checkmite+ strips to get rid of the varroa. They are also used for SHB. Since I put them in 2 weeks ago, I have seen exactly 1 SHB.

A A lot of people here are strongly anti Checkmite. It is a serious chemical and you need to be carefull with it and subject only brood combs to it. But it did work for me.

I also put 3 Cutt's Bettle blasters per hive body on my hives. I despise the SHB.


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## bbbbeeman (Jan 13, 2007)

I have been useing the closed screen bottom board with the oil try, it takes care of the shb and mites. Good luck rock


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## Rohe Bee Ranch (Feb 12, 2008)

Where did you get your closed screen bottom boards from?


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

I use an aluminum cookie sheet with oil under the screen. It is under $2. My Canadian Buckfast bees have taken care of the beetle problem in my hives. I went from hundreds to less than 10 by requeening.


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## Rohe Bee Ranch (Feb 12, 2008)

I may give them a try. Are they more aggressive and therefore more likely to drive SHB out?


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## woodguyrob (Jul 29, 2010)

The fat bee man has a you tube video(one of many) on setting up SHB traps, inexpensive and apparently effective. Boric acid inside yard sign traps sealed in with shortening (crisco).

May or may not work for your IPM methods.

But if it does work and does not hurt your bees, it seems like a good inexpensive way to help control SHB numbers. Based on the video you could make hundreds of these traps easily with very little expense.

I'm a brandy new beek with my first nuc due this spring & swarm boxes ready as well, so take my input for whatever it's worth.


-woodguyrob


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Buckfast do chase down beetles more than the other bees I use. They are still gentle. This is important in the teaching hives to introduce new beekeepers.


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## hoodswoods (May 15, 2009)

Rohe Bee Ranch said:


> Where did you get your closed screen bottom boards from?


These are the ones I like to use - I'd make them myself, but finding #6 mesh (which I believe is important) in small quantities is impossible.

http://www.greenbeehives.com/ipk-small-hive-beetle-trap-assembled-unpainted.html


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

I have one of those Green beehives bottom boards they are made very well. The one thing I found out is you HAVE to make sure your hive is tilled forward or the rain will run back into the hive and fill up the tray. It would be easy to make one but finding the bigger size screen could be a problem as someone else mentioned. Green beehives use a nice stainless screen wire. I am happy with the one I have. But, I have found as long as you keep the hive full of bees they will run the bettles either to the top or the bottom and not cause a problem inside the hive. But, at the least sign of weakness the beetles will do what they do and slime your hive.


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## hoodswoods (May 15, 2009)

I have to modify my 'bottom board' by adding a 3/4" slant board on top of the original (in one case I've also have replaced both with 1 2x8) to bring that board flush with the hive entrance (as if a bee couldn't hop up that short distance), and a 1x2 vertical spacer to that to move the SBB back into proper position. In retrospect, I could have cut the sides to my BB down 3/4" and done without the spacer.


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## CynCityBee (Oct 13, 2010)

I was at a conference this weekend and there was a speaker on the SHB. Long story short he mentioned several things to try and control the SHB. One thing he did suggest was to put 1 1/2" thick layer of lime or dense grade down around the hive. What this does is as the larvae fall out of the hive to pupate (sp?) the lime or dense grade scratches their bodies and they dehydrate and die. He did offer one surefire way to get rid of the SHB....a swift slam with a hive tool!
:ws


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## Jeffzhear (Dec 2, 2006)

CynCityBee said:


> "... One thing he did suggest was to put 1 1/2" thick layer of lime or dense grade down around the hive. What this does is as the larvae fall out of the hive to pupate (sp?) the lime or dense grade scratches their bodies and they dehydrate and die..."


Did he mention anything about the Lime and what it does to the honeybees that land in or on it by accident? Just curious...


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## scdw43 (Aug 14, 2008)

If you have enough bees to cover all of the drawn combs you should not have a problem. If you don't right now pull the drawn comb and replace with foundation. SHB's don't pay foundation any attention. Replace foundation with drawn comb in a couple of brood cycles when you have more bees. Just a suggestion.


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## Ted Kretschmann (Feb 2, 2011)

Stay away from filipronil in dvd cassette cases. While toxic to the beetles, it is highly toxic to the bees. Should this compound show up in some honey somewhere---as an industry then:ws TK


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## PDG honey (Jul 31, 2010)

This works Russell's Beetle juice in the jewel cd case. Break the tabs from the sides of the lid of the case. Bees can not enter trap and the beetle die with in 3 inches of ingestion. Mix any approved kill agent with the lure to kill beetles fast. Fipronil was just approved Austrailia as beetle management and is found in tap water in every state in the US to control mosquito larvea. Also used and required in most food industries including the restraunts people eat at. I always recommend that what works best for you, keep it up. I would upload pics. I have them on my facebook account @ Honeypdg


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## max2 (Dec 24, 2009)

"I have them on my facebook account @ Honeypdg " and for those of us who don't know what this is can we Google?


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## PDG honey (Jul 31, 2010)

I have pics uploaded on Russellapiaries.com under pest and diseases.


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## Rohe Bee Ranch (Feb 12, 2008)

Ted Kretschmann said:


> Stay away from filipronil in dvd cassette cases. While toxic to the beetles, it is highly toxic to the bees. Should this compound show up in some honey somewhere---as an industry then:ws TK


Excellent idea Ted. I used this in cassettes this winter and removed them last Jan. They killed lots of beetles but I don't want any issues with chemicals in my honey.


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## Rob73 (Apr 19, 2009)

Anyone know of any scientific studies on SHB? 
Those beetlejail entrance traps look like they may be on to something. You can find a video on youtube for that. Maybe chemicals arent the way to go. Seems like if their behavior was studied, there would be a way to keep them out with some sort of modified entrance.

I mean, you can use a cone screen to remove bees so they cant return. The triangle escape boards let the bees leave but not enter the super. I am curious if there was something similar for the hive beetle to beat the little bugger with a much more fundamental method.

I dont have a small hive beetle problem, yet that is. I has got to be frustrating for those dealing with it. 

Rob


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