# 3 questions



## Kyle Meadows (Jul 14, 2006)

Hello all,
I perhaps should have made 3 separate posts, but here goes:

1. I may have found a small hive beetle in one of my 6 hives. How serious a problem are they and what harm do they do? 

2. Is there any reason not to let my bees clean up frames, extractor, uncapping tub, etc. after extracting? (I set them outside about 200' from the hives.)

3. The temperature is in the upper 90's now and for the next week and my hives are mostly in the full sun. Should the shimmed top entrances be opened up more for increased ventilation? (I have screened bottom boards.)

Thanks a bunch for any advice.
Kyle


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## Sarge (Jun 26, 2006)

#1. Take it as a warning and get something under the hive to keep them down.

#2. No. I have a friend who recycles corn syrup barrels for a bakery. He just stacks 'em in layers and lets the bees clean 'em out. You might keep an eye on the weather though to limit damage. 

#3. If they are bearding, lots of fanning, or lack a close source of water, yes. 

But then what do I know.


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Kyle,
1)Once you have them in the area, you will (probably) not ever completely get rid of them. You'll learn to live seeing one here and there.

2) No.

3) Can't hurt.


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## Kyle Meadows (Jul 14, 2006)

Thanks for the replies.
Sarge, do you mean a piece of carpet or something?
Bjornbee, I don't mind seeing SHB's, but I'm curious what harm do they actually do?
Also, what's a good way to increase the opening of the top entrance? I was considering 1 x 2's across the tops to hold up the entire top and create a 3/4" gap all around. Would that invite robbing?


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Two years ago I had adult beetles. No damage was done.

Last year, same story. I bought "Hood" traps and they seemed to catch some of the beetles. I felt lucky to have dodged the bullet.

This year was a nuclear melt-down in one of my yards. Everything was fine until the last week in June. The yard is deeply shaded and the beetle population exploded. Larvae tore up my combs. Bees abscounded, totally abadoning the hive, and interestingly moved into to neighboring hives to flee the beetle.

The larvae has further tore up my mating nucs for new queens. I caught some swarms and those hives are tore up.

And it's all in this one yard. Screen bottoms have not been a help. Those sandwich box traps have really caught a ton of beetles. I'm in the process of treating hives with the traps, and moving them to sunnier locations.

I expect to totally abandon this location. It was really cool and shady and a pleasant place to work.

Grant
Jackson, Mo


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