# Filling AJ's Beetle Eater



## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Okay, the beetle eater looks good. I went to install one in a hive with beetles present last week. The top snaps on, but it requires a firm snap.

How have you guys been filling it, or snapping the lid on without spilling the oil?

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## Gene Weitzel (Dec 6, 2005)

Snap the top on first, then use a bulb syringe to fill it.


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## ajs beetle eater (Feb 21, 2008)

*filling hte beetle eaters*

 hi guys an easy way is to use a sauce dispencer the nozzel fits in the chamber without spilling oil hold level fill to approx 3 ml to cover the baffle then clip the track on thanks aj


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## sc-bee (May 10, 2005)

Yea I had the same problem w/mine. Put it in first then tried to fill it---- a mistake. Thanks for the tip aj.


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## magnet-man (Jul 10, 2004)

Is the Beetle Eater made from a hard plastic or it is like the plastic the frame feeders are made of?


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## ajs beetle eater (Feb 21, 2008)

*magnet man*

the beetle eaters are made from hard recycled plastics aj


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## JC (Jun 3, 2006)

ajs beetle eater said:


> hi guys an easy way is to use a sauce dispencer the nozzel fits in the chamber without spilling oil hold level fill to approx 3 ml to cover the baffle then clip the track on thanks aj



I do not have any vinyl to cover the traps. What other types of covering would you suggust? Thanks!


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## ajs beetle eater (Feb 21, 2008)

*JC*

 vynal can be obtained at any carpet or second hand places this is the best some people use carpet but i suggest a sqare of vynal aj


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## paintingpreacher (Jul 29, 2006)

I bought a small pump type oil can at the local Harbor Freight which has a flexible line. This works really well for filling the trap after it is in place. Only about $4.00.


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## ekrouse (Aug 26, 2004)

*Reuseable?*

AJ,

Does the trap come apart for cleaning and refilling?

-ekrouse


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## ajs beetle eater (Feb 21, 2008)

*ekrouse*

 yes the beetle eaters come apart the track clicks on and off by gently squeezing the end of the chamber thanks aj


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## Troy (Feb 9, 2006)

I have two questions about the beetle eater.

1. How many ml does it take to fill it. (I can measure if nobody knows off hand)

2. What purpose does the vinyl flooring cover serve?


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## ajs beetle eater (Feb 21, 2008)

*troy*

the beetle eater only needs 3 mil of oil do not fill it and the purpose of the vynal is to reduce the bees plugging up the tracks with wax or propilas thanks aj


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## JC (Jun 3, 2006)

*AJ*

Where do you put the trap in the colony and how long do you leave the trap in the colony?


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## ajs beetle eater (Feb 21, 2008)

*jc*

 the beetle eaters sit on the top bars if it is a double in the super if it is a single in the brood chamber they should be checked weekly depending on the infestation of SHB aj


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## JC (Jun 3, 2006)

ajs beetle eater said:


> the beetle eaters sit on the top bars if it is a double in the super if it is a single in the brood chamber they should be checked weekly depending on the infestation of SHB aj


Let me see if I got this correctly. If there are two hive bodies, place the beetle trap on the top hive body. Suppose there are two hive bodies and two honey supers, should the beetle trap also be placed on the top hive body under the two honey supers? Additionally, I surmise tha bettle trap should be left on the colony year round; however, it should be checked once a week?


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## ajs beetle eater (Feb 21, 2008)

*jc*

 preferably put the beetle eaters at the top of the box in the center


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## Beaches' Bee-Haven Apiary (May 22, 2007)

Here's an idea my mom had. To fill the eaters use one of those ketchup/mustard squeeze containers (y'know, the yellow and red cylindrical ones) Easy, portable, cheap, and should fill it w/o any problem!

-Nathanael


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## Troy (Feb 9, 2006)

I am going to use a syringe, that way I can measure the oil needed and I don't have to try to see down inside. It being all black, I can imagine it will be difficult to see the oil level inside there.


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## mbholl (Dec 16, 2007)

What are the first signs of the small hive beetle, and what should I watch for? Now that bees are coming out of almonds, I want to make sure that they haven't brought home something new.


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## okb (Apr 16, 2007)

http://www.wasba.org/SHB.pdf

Here is some reading on it.


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## Keith Benson (Feb 17, 2003)

Troy said:


> I am going to use a syringe, that way I can measure the oil needed and I don't have to try to see down inside. It being all black, I can imagine it will be difficult to see the oil level inside there.


You may find that the black plunger on the syringe won't necessarily hold up to the oils. And it could get sticky over time. Try it, but don't be surprised if you wind up going another route. They do make syringes specifically for oils, and you might be able to pick up an old-style ground glass syringe on eBay that might work better.

Keith


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## Troy (Feb 9, 2006)

I saw a thing made for measuring medicine for babies in the pharmacy at Wal-mart the other day. It was like a mini turkey baster. 

If one doesn't let the oil ever get up into the bulb, that should work well and allow me to measure the correct amount too. It cost like $1.27, so even if it doesn't last more than one season - that is fine too.


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## mikesfarm (Jul 4, 2007)

*AJ's Beetle eater cover*

I just ordered a few of AJ's traps. Are those that are using them baiting them with a similar lure to the Sonny-Mel traps ? What are people using to cover them with ? Any good local things that the bees are not eating ? Why do they not ship with the nesc covers ?
Thanks
Mike


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## Tillie (Apr 26, 2006)

I've bought them but am a little confused about the covers. If I go buy vinyl floor covering at a carpet store, what do you use to cut it or is the idea to cover more frames than the two holding the AJ trap? I wish it were shipped with the covering already done right or at least with a picture.

Linda T confused in Atlanta


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## ajs beetle eater (Feb 21, 2008)

*tillie*

 i will get you a picture put up in the next few days i will show you what the matt looks like aj


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## ajs beetle eater (Feb 21, 2008)

*tillie*

tille if you look up mercer mat on the net you will get an idea of what i mean aj


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## Tillie (Apr 26, 2006)

Hi AJ,

I use inner covers on some of my hives - sounds like the Mercer Mat is made of vinyl but is just an inner cover in disguise??? So the mat to use over the AJ's Beetle Eaters should cover the tops of all of the frames in that box in the way an inner cover does?

Linda T in Atlanta


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## summer1052 (Oct 21, 2007)

*Pour spout*

I have one of those little cork/metal spout combos that I bought for vinegar, oil, and other decorative kitchen bottles. You know the kind: put your oil in here, and drizzle into the pan, and it looks nicer than a big ol' bottle on the counter. I bought mine at a Pier One type store; a larger grocery store or gourmet shop should have them by the handful. 

I put oil in a small bottle, added the spout, and use that to fill the trap. Works like a charm. You can add oil without having to remove the top of the trap, just drizzle in.

Summer


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## ajs beetle eater (Feb 21, 2008)

*ajs beetle eater*

 hi guys just wanted to know how the beetle eaters are working for you i hope they are working as well over in the states as they are in australia we are catching a lot of beetle here love some feed back thanks aj


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## sc-bee (May 10, 2005)

Any way we could see a picture of your hive w/ a trap set up with mat in place. I have been covering the trap area w/floor covering w/fair success.

Trap was in about five days or so:


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## summer1052 (Oct 21, 2007)

AJ, the traps are great!! 

I had a hive which had larvae in it, to the point I had to freeze 3 frames and return them. I got your traps, "vinyl" shelf cover, and put them out. 

I see maybe one or two beetles in the hive now, and 6-12 in the trap routinely. I think they are great. 

Now, if you could only do something about wax moths for me . . .

Summer


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## ajs beetle eater (Feb 21, 2008)

*sc-bee*

 hi if you look in the bee culture magazine you can see the mat in my add ajs beetle eater this mat is large i have three beetle eaters in my hive you may not need one as large thanks aj


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## Troy (Feb 9, 2006)

I am not getting results like summer.

I put out ten of these traps in one apiary that has pretty heavy beetle infestation. I am seeing in some cases hundreds, but at least 2 beetles in every hive I open, but when I dump out the oil in AJ's trap, there is only a few beetles in each one.

In fact the beetles seem to like to hide in the area under the vinyl, right next to the entrance to the trap, but they don't seem to go in very often.

I was thinking maybe some types of oil are better than others. Or maybe I should put something else in there, like a few grains of pollen or something.

Summer, what kind of oil did you use to get the results you showed in your picture?

What about using used fryer oil? Maybe they'd like that better.


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## sc-bee (May 10, 2005)

I'm having same problem:s!


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## Beaches' Bee-Haven Apiary (May 22, 2007)

The beetles fill up the traps fast in most cases. So if your seeing beetles scurrying out they were probably just hiding on top of the dead beetles which decompose in the oil and create quite the laying and breeding ground for larva. Next year I'll be making a point of checking and emptying my traps one a week whule there in the hives. 

-Nathanael


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## sc-bee (May 10, 2005)

Mine Ain't trapping ---- the hive has now collapsed!


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## Troy (Feb 9, 2006)

Beaches,, Nope that's not it. There was plenty of oil in there and only like 3 to 7 SHB.

They must not like the smell.

What can I do to get them to go in there, so they'll drown. I used canola oil.

Should I try olive oil? Something else?


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## Beaches' Bee-Haven Apiary (May 22, 2007)

Pure olive oil fresh from the Mediterranean, literally shipped (with a ship) non-stop so it arrives at your door no older than a month! The beetles will go for that stuff!! 

Seriously, though, I think I was using vegetable oil. The biggest trick was placing the traps in the right spot. There tend to be areas in the hive were the beetles congregate (or the bees congregate them) and it takes a while to hit that sweet spot. Once you've found it they fill up fast! Those congregation areas tend to be along the tops of the frames and edges of the super (not necessarily in the corners), usually the uppermost super, or any super with *any* amount of unguarded space. That's why aj's traps are easier to get results with than Hood's. Right now as the weather cools, the beetles start nesting with the bees and you'll see a decrease in reproduction (a decrease in population doesn't start until late winter, but then its rather a dramatic drop), so I've found that the traps don't work as well during the late fall/winter season.

sc-bee, sorry to here about the loss. I had added an additional super to one of my hives a little over a month ago, only to go into it a week later and find a SHB takeover... We seriously need to find a substantial answer to this problem.

-Nathanael


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## sc-bee (May 10, 2005)

Hundreds of beetles under trap mat--- only a dozen or so in trap???


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## Keith Benson (Feb 17, 2003)

I would also suggest popping the top on the hive fairly frequently to get the beetles moving. Otherwise the bees might keep them corralled in a cover and not let them get to the traps.

Keith


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## Beaches' Bee-Haven Apiary (May 22, 2007)

sc-bee said:


> Hundreds of beetles under trap mat--- only a dozen or so in trap???


Well, as you've mentioned at some of the meetings the trap does need to be deeper. 

- Nathanael


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## sc-bee (May 10, 2005)

>I would also suggest popping the top on the hive fairly frequently to get the beetles moving. Otherwise the bees might keep them corralled in a cover and not let them get to the traps.

Actually some have noted frequent inspections as a problem. It disrupts the hive beetle corralled and as they scatter in an alarm state it is said they begin to drop eggs as they scatter.

I have hundreds of shb under the small mat that is just larger in size than the trap. SHB all over tap but not entering the trap. Need a lure or something --- have not tried the banana thing. I have been using FGMO in trap.


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