SMALL HIVE BEETLE

[rusty]

I am more interested right now in finding an effective natural way to deal with SHBs. Maybe I should let my hedgehog eat them.


Not wishing to deny your  hedgehog a good feast, there must surely be some other way of killing SHB's in the hive. Resin seems to be an answer (if that's what the bees do) so what about some sort of sticky stuff that attracts them perhaps using one of their (dare I use the word on an open forum) "sexual" pheremones under a mesh floor that the bees can't reach, but the beetles can. Come on you clever scientists get your thinking hats on QUICK!

Ok so it's maybe a simplistic female view, but we really have to do something, and by the way what on earth are AHB's.

Rusty

[downunder]

We have been researching control methods for SHB for 5 years now. We are also working with a German team who has been studying them since 97.

Firstly they do not stick to any known man made substance. They way resin works is that the bees completely entomb them in prisons. Unfortunately they can not do this to hundreds of beetles in a hive.

The pheromones do not work the way you describe. They are a long range chemical that attract them to an area. Within a hive all you will do is attract them all from outside and just confuse the ones inside.

Apart from this no research group  has managed to isolate the aggregation pheromone for SHB successfully. Synthetic blends have proved unsuccessful in the feild.

The group at Gainesville have isolated a "yeast attractant" found in the slime they create in a hive. To my knowledge it is due tio be commercially available shortly. How successful it will be remains to be seen.

Unfortunately most treatments being researched are chemical (of course). They are effective until the SHB's become resistant not to mention the dangerous residues associated with these products.

The best control strategies at present are strong hives free from stress and disease.

Queenright hives (queenless hives are consumed quickly).

Lowering the humidity using vented bottoms and lids. Avoid overheating of hives.

Avoid working bees altogether during humid weather.

Do not feed in humid weather.

Do not leave pollen supplements in hives for more than a week at a time.

Treat soil around hives that have "slimed" larva pupates in soil around hive.

Oil traps work well when beetles are active. They are not designed to be on hives permenantly.

Beetles are afraid of light and generally either take off the frames or run straight to the floor. You can use this strategy to mass trap beetles.


Other projects we a working on include fungus and nematodes to treat larva in soil instead of insecticides. As well as beetle movement between apiaries and ferals, biology, and mechanisms that trigger the breakdown of colonies.

It's a disgusting pest that the world could do without!

[rusty]

Thank you "down under"

That's interesting and I, all like minded beekeepers the world over wish you every luck. Your listed methods of at least keeping the brutes under some sort of control are gratefully received and will become my "Bible"
Thanks again and Good Luck.

[Jerrymac]

AHB = Africanized Honey Bees

[rusty]

Oh! of course!! Silly me,
I thought there was yet another monstrous beetle on the loose.

Many Thanks Rusty!