Morning,
Can someone please help me know whats happening with SHB and now looks like SHB maggots in my bottom try.
I hope its not a slime out, last inspectipn i didnt see any maggots on frames, its only been in bottom tray this last week.
Thank you
Hi Kate, I recommend another inspection ASAP. Whenever you see SHB larvae freely crawling around so as to fall into the bottom tray, it is likely to mean that your bees no longer have the upper hand and need your help.
Do you have a local mentor or know any experienced beeks nearby? Having someone with you will be a great help with a task that could take an ugly turn and require on-the-spot decision making. I also recommend having some ‘worst case’ extra equipment on hand like a new brood box and frames, and a receptacle for comb etc that is too full of beetles to save. If you do encounter this kind of scene, fill this container with water - this will help slow or prevent beetles from flying off.
All that said, it might not be that bad! Good luck and keep us posted 
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Hi Eva,
Thank you so much for your reply. I can get some help with a friend who has bees too.
Yeah hopefully it will be ok too and we’ve had very humid weather the last few days, which hasnt help. Its all very new to me.
Thanks!
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I use in-hive beetle traps - trade name is Beetle Blaster. They work pretty well. Not everybody likes them though.
@JeffH has a lot of experience with SHB management. Keeping hives as strong as possible, avoiding squishing bees and not adding empty space before the colony can use it and defend it are all good ways to mitigate beetle activity. You will never get rid of them, but they can be controlled by the bees, if you optimize conditions for the colony. 
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Hi Kate, I’m at Buderim. I recently sold bees to a lady named Kate, I wondered if it was you.
Another important thing that I do to mitigate hive beetle damage is keep drone brood to a minimum, while maximizing worker brood. The reason for this is that drones do no defending inside the hive. It’s only workers that will coral beetles into hiding places, thus preventing them from laying eggs.
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Thank you Dawn for your help and knowledge, much appreciated. Will definitely keep in mind. I do have traps on hand in case too.
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Hi Jeff, yes it is me, Kate
Thank you again! I do often think to contact you
I vaguely remember you mentioning about minimal drone brood too for SHB control. Great tip, thank you.
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Hi Kate, Merry Christmas.
Sometimes we overdo information which can be too much to take in in one go. Feel free to contact us any time.
Cheers
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