Small Hive Beetles & Beer

[yantabulla]

I'm sitting on my verandah having a beer & watching bees come & go into a hive.  It is a small swarm that I caught a few days ago. I put a drawn comb in for them to give the queen a head start & it is distressing to watch small hive beetles fly into the hive.

What I have noticed is that the beetles are also landing in my beer.  (Sheaf Stout)

Has anyone tried to trap beetles in fly traps laced with beer? (I've only had a couple of schooners)

[philinacoma]

Sounds like it could be a hard task to use good beer....Maybe they would go for XXXX? I wouldn't call that a waste!
 

[AllenF]

Sounds like alcohol abuse to me.

[VolunteerK9]

Sounds like alcohol abuse to me.

absolutely..i thinks its at least a misdemeanor 

[yantabulla]

Uh oh the beer police are on to me!

I'm repeating the experiment again this afternoon.

I think i've swallowed a few SHB's

[Cullz]

I bit one that landed on my collar once. They don't taste so good.

Good idea if it works, seriously. Old timer gardeners use beer to catch slugs.

[AllenF]

I know old timer ladies use beer to catch old timer gardeners.   

[fish_stix]

That's funny! One night last summer I was sitting on the patio having a beer and cigar. Noticed a couple hive beetles crawling around on my beer glass. Don't know if the brand of beer makes any difference; I drink that great German brew, Budweiser! Maybe we should try a trap with some beer; fermented honey and squashed bananas draw them like flies to manure, so maybe I'll add a can of brew to the mix. I'm trying a 5 gallon bucket with a few holes drilled in it and bait plus fipronil in the bottom. Will hang them in the beeyards and see if it draws SHB that would otherwise end up in the hives.

[Louie]

Hi All
Tried the beer yesterday. The beetles kept away but the flies appeared to enjoy it. Somewhere it as mentioned that combination of fermenting honey and banana was an reasonable attractant?? I will this mix a go in the next few days
Cheers
Louie