# small hive beetles made it



## sterling (Nov 14, 2013)

Just in case you are worried about the wonderful little SHB getting froze out rest assured some made it through winter. Been checking some hives this weekend and killed several sneaking around the top bars. I was hoping the extreme cold would freeze um out.


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## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

What's that saying "The Devil takes care of his own?"


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

AR Beekeeper said:


> What's that saying "The Devil takes care of his own?"


I've never heard the saying.....but it sounds right.


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## wmsuber (Apr 4, 2011)

I always heard that roaches and rats would survive any catastrophe that would eliminate mankind. I think small hive beetles will be right there with them.


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## philip.devos (Aug 10, 2013)

Boy, that makes me feel better. I have not seen one yet, but maybe they'll be back.


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## Pete O (Jul 13, 2013)

Maybe your extreme Tenn. cold wasn't cold enough!


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## rkereid (Dec 20, 2009)

I've noticed more this year than the same time last year. Last year they were almost non existent until later in May. I think they survive close to or in the cluster where cold is not so much of an issue. We've had them around 5 years and they are not a major problem, but rather a few are here and there on the periphery of the colony.


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## Matt903 (Apr 8, 2013)

Pete O said:


> Maybe your extreme Tenn. cold wasn't cold enough!



It wasn't! I smashed about eight of the little boogers in an overwintered nuc the other day. I was at least hoping for a setback for them after the coldest temps here in 20 years.


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## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

The beetles stay inside the bee cluster, so for it to have been cold enough to kill the beetle, the bees would have died.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Cold isn't going to kill the adults in the cluster. It will kill some of the larvae and pupae if they aren't deep enough in the ground...


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## RCorl (Mar 24, 2012)

How long do the adults live? Seems that the ones in the cluster have been around since at least November, when the first freezing temps hit our area. Will they soon die of old age?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I have heard the adults have similar life spans to bees which is why they can overwinter with them. I don't know if I've seen any studies to that effect, but that appears to be the case by all accounts.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

Tuesday was the first day here warm enough for our mentor to do a really thorough hive inspection, so we came over to "help". He spotted a couple of SHB and gave chase, digging them out of cells they slipped into to hide, using his hive tool.

Kinda reminded me of a police chase with a lot of collateral damage that we've been seeing on TV all day. 

Any chance that slender pointy tweezers could do this job without trashing so much comb? I've got a pair right here that could probably stab the little devils even if I can't grab them.


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## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

Yes, there are some long thin tipped tweezers that make it easier to kill them. The hive tool looks messy but the bees usually repair the damage quickly.

My problem is, I have the tweezers but can't remember to put them in my work apron!


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