I am currently battling the small hive beetle. I ordered a 5 frame Italian Nuc with laying queen back in April. Since I purchased the Nuc (from Georgia) It has been contaminated with small hive beetles. The feed store told me to keep them informed of the results, since they will reimburse me if my bees abscond.
I am treating the ground and I have a beetle Jail. I also have put cardboard in the screened bottom board with Diatomaceous Earth and I just changed the trap to taped down cardboard with a check mite + strip on the bottom plus DE. I’ve seen the flow video using the fluffy table cloth but I couldn’t find this type of cloth at Walmart. I’m nervous about doing an oil/water pan or even the table cloth because my bees like to get through the screen and herd the beetles. My bees have expanded to 3 frames but I am still waiting till they are at 9 to add another brood box, plus I want to see less beetles.
I also treated the ground with a beetle pesticide. The beetle jail only had one beetle in it since I installed it. I pull out the bottom board regularly and brush off scattering beetles into a bucket of water and pesticide. Then I wait around and kill the ones that try to fly back in with my hive tool. I’ve killed too many to count. Bees still look good except I accidentally spilled apple cider vinegar from the beetle jail in my hive, hoping I didn’t harm the queen.
I am only buying future bees from a local supplier in the future. BTW my hive is in the woods with dappled sunlight. That is the only place I have to work with, so full sun is not an option at this juncture.
That’s my story so far, any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.
You don’t say where you are from. Certain areas seem to be beetle bombs. I’m in NJ and we have SHB but I don’t do anything about them except to keep strong hives.
What Chili said, plus make sure you remove/scrape away any squashed bees you find during inspection. The bees will remove dead bodies they can reach, but they can’t get to or pick up the ones we inevitably squash between frame lugs or boxes, and beetles love to lay eggs in them
I ordered some Nematodes from Georgia and put around my hive. Here is the website info: If you use them, Tell them Lori Sent you!!
SOUTHEASTERN INSECTARIES, INC.
Your Green Choice In Biological Pest Control
367 Moss Oaks Rd. Perry, GA 31069
Office-(478) 988-9412 Fax-(478) 988-9413
Toll free- (877) WORMSSS southeasterninsectaries@gmail.com sei@windstream.net
My bees left/died from SMB and wax moth so I feel your frustration. I put Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar in my hive beetle trap and they attracted a lot of the beetles to it. Then saw the worms thought they were SMB larvae but was told they have red on their heads… I chalked it up to a learning experience and the saga continues. I froze my frames and now will clean them up and start again. I also am trying to find a sunnier location. If I cannot, I am hoping the Nematodes will do their jobs when they arrive.
Thanks! let me know how the nematodes work. I have already soaked the ground with some permethrin. I will post an update on my next hive check. Just observing the activity of my bees they seem to be active and doing well. I will pull the screened bottom board today and see how many beetles there are (hopefully dead ones).
Fax-(478) 988-9413