# Roach problem



## Sharpbees (Jun 26, 2012)

Depends on what you have more of a problem with. Roaches or possible poison in your hive? You'll find several different insects that will live in the voids that the bees don't patrol. The bees will keep them out of the hive. Kill with a hive tool or live and let live, I wouldn't use an insecticide within that close proximity to my bees. Jmo


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## Tim KS (May 9, 2014)

SteveStevenson said:


> Every time I open my tbh which has a gable roof I find several roaches. They are not down in the hive and don't seem to bother the bees. They do bother me. Any ideas on *how to get rid of them* would be appreciated. I assume I can't spray the top with insecticide while off and then put the top back on.


A Glock 19 will work, but I use my hive tool.


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## burns375 (Jul 15, 2013)

I usually find them under the outer covers at one yard. I havn't really thought much of it, I do try to kill them with my hive tool if I can.


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## BeeMoose (Oct 19, 2013)

I can usually find 2 to 3 under the outer cover on the inner cover. I have not found any problems they cause except for the "Ick" factor. I will usually smash them with the hive
tool If I can.


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## mcon672 (Mar 5, 2015)

I had them in some traps this spring. I showed one to an exterminator buddy of mine because I was afraid I would bring roaches home and he said they are wood roaches. Different from ****roaches and nothing to worry about.


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## SteveStevenson (Feb 14, 2014)

I've nixed the insecticide idea. I guess no harm but still gross. Thanks for the replies


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## BeeBop (Apr 23, 2015)

mcon672 said:


> I had them in some traps this spring. I showed one to an exterminator buddy of mine because I was afraid I would bring roaches home and he said they are wood roaches. Different from ****roaches and nothing to worry about.


Yeah, I often find a few wood roaches under my top covers. Never inside the hive.


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## ogfd15 (Aug 28, 2015)

I've seen a few roaches and several black ants, too. I'm glad you asked because I was wondering what to do with them.


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## BeeGora (Oct 22, 2013)

I keep a flyswatter by my two hives. Have it ready when you raise the cover and be quick. It also works well on hornets if you can catch them sitting still.


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## Jon Wolff (Apr 28, 2013)

The problem with roaches is they leave their droppings all over the top of the bars and soil them. The droppings can get lodged in the seams of the bars and when you open the hive they fall onto the combs. I used to have a bad problem with American ****roaches until I raised my roofs and got some light on the bars. They vacated the hives after that and I haven't had a problem since.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Roaches.
I'm thinking the german ****roach like lives in the projects. Not seeing them in my hives.
Them big huge ones that fly, yes I'll see a lone infant once in a while but I don't think they're infesting the hive, just hiding a while under the rim sort of thing. They are creepy bugs for sure. ewwww


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## SteveStevenson (Feb 14, 2014)

Jon, how did you raise ur roof?


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Why are wood roaches gross? They aren't your avg apt dwelling variety of ****roach. Almost a completely different critter and is a common bug found in beehives


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Harley Craig said:


> Why are wood roaches gross?


City people like me don't now any better and assume that "OMG they'll get in my house" and I'll never hear the end of it from the wife. Now that I know better I feel foolish for losing sleep worrying about infesting the place with those things. They're FAST and big and scary looking, other than that no big deal.


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## Jim7310 (Jun 29, 2014)

Personally, I don't go out of my way to make an inviting home for insects other than my bees. However, in cutting hives out of trees I have noticed an amazing variety of insects living in the detritus at the bottom of the cavity. Given how much we still have to learn about the complex biology of the hive, I am hesitant to evict critters from my hives that naturally show up in feral hives and appear to be doing no real damage. There may be some symbiotic relationship between the bees and these critters which we do not understand. So, yeah, kind of gross - but seem to be tolerated by the bees so tolerated by me as well.

Jim


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## msscha (Jan 4, 2014)

The droppings are my problem, too. I have many more on Mama Hive, my first one with a gabled roof, eco floor, and a "ledge" that was added as a last-minute fix and has proved a bad idea. To raise the roof, do you simply add "legs"? How do you keep rain off (you must have just as much trouble with rain in GA as I have in FL!). Smaller roaches make their way into the other builds, but often under the roof, on top of the bars. I have used roach baits and hotels, too. That has a short-term effect only.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>They are not down in the hive and don't seem to bother the bees.

Then you don't have a "roach problem".


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## D.A.S. (Jun 17, 2011)

I love it Michael, plan and simple.


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## D.A.S. (Jun 17, 2011)

By the way Michael, loved your book. I have been beekeeping now for 5 years, I hope the bees never stop teaching me. I have a large stack of bee books, I could have saved a lot of money if I only bought yours. !


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## SteveStevenson (Feb 14, 2014)

The bees don't have a roach problem. But I don't like them so I have the roach problem


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I don't like them so I have the roach problem

The bees are outdoors. The outdoors is full of roaches as well as ants, sow bugs, centipedes etc. I would suggest the solution is that you accept them. Nothing else is really practical.


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## Jon Wolff (Apr 28, 2013)

Sorry, y'all. My daughter got married in Birmingham, AL this month and it's been a crazy September. To answer the question about raising the roof. I'm not a fan of attached roofs; they just get in the way. My roofs are white metal shed doors I bent to give an overlap on either side of the hives. They still have the handles on them. They're easy to put on and take off. I raise them off the top bars with a few bricks. I'm in my sixth year of keeping bees and in that time some powerful storms have knocked down trees, but I've never had a roof blown off, and the top bars stay dry, too. I guess the overlap is adequate.


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## LeifLiberty (Sep 23, 2014)

It would be interesting to see a picture of these metal shed based roofs.


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## Jon Wolff (Apr 28, 2013)

LeifLiberty said:


> It would be interesting to see a picture of these metal shed based roofs.


LeifLiberty, here you go. I used to have them flat on the hives with insulation sandwiched in between, but the roaches thrived in those conditions. Now I have no roach problem. I have three hives with these and haven't had a problem no matter how bad the weather. Also, even though we've been in the 90's lately with high humidity, and I only have one hole open in the ventilation bars in the back, the bees haven't bearded once this year.


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## LeifLiberty (Sep 23, 2014)

Wow, thank you. That is different than I expected. Very interesting.


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## Jon Wolff (Apr 28, 2013)

LeifLiberty said:


> Wow, thank you. That is different than I expected. Very interesting.


You're welcome. They're not pretty, but they get the job done and didn't cost me anything. My first roofs were nice to look at and well fitted, but heavy and unwieldy to get on and off, not to mention a bit pricey by the time I paid for the corrugated panels, 1x2's and plywood.


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## Knot Wiring (Jan 15, 2015)

been awhile since I visited here is mine when I installed the package...3/15. 










A link to the build thread. I was concerned about some of the issues mentioned but there have been none. we had a very mild winter.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?306529-New-to-site-1st

WK


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