Hive Beetles

[knightfamily]

I found three of hives with these little beetles. I was wondering what to do with the honey. Can it be extracted for human consumption. I just ordered some gardstar to drench the soil at the hives. One of the hives -which happens to be a good ways away from the others -was a pretty healthy hive. The other two seemed weak and I am thinking of combining these two. I have ordered some CheckMite -planning on treating the hives - thats why I wanted to know what to do with the honey on the one hive-theres a med super full and I am planning on taking it off before treating.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
Shelly

[Robo]

I have no experience with hive beetles, and hopefully never will.  It is my understanding that the bettles end up destroying the wax comb in the hive.  I don't believe they do any damage to the honey (other then perhaps eat it) that would contaminate it.  

Are you aware that Dadant sells a hive beetle trap?

click image to go to Dadant Website

Use this trap any time beetles are present. However since Small Hive Beetles (S.H.B.) are temperature sensitive it will be far more effective during late spring to fall when beetles are out of the cluster and most active. Directions Included with your West Beetle Trap are wooden spacers needed to modify your bottom board, to allow the honey bees to enter and exit the hive while the West Beetle Trap is in place. Before installing the West Beetle Trap, thoroughly clean and scrape, if necessary, any debris or burr comb from the bottom board that may interfere with the proper placement of the West Beetle Trap. It is critical that the trap is level before adding the vegetable oil. Place trap on bottom and fill 1/2 with oil, purchased separately. Place cover on trap. Do not pour oil through the trap cover, as any spilled oil may cause bee mortality. At this time you may reassemble your hive and start trapping beetles! Periodic cleaning of the traps is necessary. Check traps every 7-14 days. Tips The manipulation of your colony will disturb the S.H.B. hiding spots causing them to move around in the colony and find the trap sooner. Storage and Disposal After use, discard used oil in an approved manner. Clean traps and store away from direct sunlight and any pesticides.

Once again, I have no experience with this,  but tend to try and avoid using any pesticides on or around my bees.

If anyone has experience with SHBs,  I would be interested in hearing more about it.  There has been a few post to date asking about how to deal with them, but I don't believe we have found an 'expert' yet.

[knightfamily]

Thanks Robo, I have seen the trap and we have one but we've never put it on. I need to adjust the bottom boards first. I just haven't had time to do this yet. Plus I need to get more. I have 11 hives and only one trap and I believe they around $20. That's alot right now.

Planning on checking on the hives today. In the past couple of weeks I have extracted 3 and 1/2 med supers and one deep super of honey. I got 13 gallons of honey and 2 gallon jars of wax cappings.   Wow.    I have been letting it settle and I am going to jar it today as well. Bought some jars and I look forward to selling some on the sqare one Sat morning.

[steve]

Shelly,
      You can use the honey from the Hive-beetled hive PRIOR to the application of the Checkmite, but not after........
       Also, any supers (frames of honey) you take off should be frozen either before or after exstraction for at least 48 hours to kill the beetle's eggs.............
       The hive beetle's larva is an eating machine, if it's in the hive and standing still the larva will eat it.......wax comb, pollen, honey, bee larva,
fortunatly a strong hive with the help of Checkmite and Gardstar are very effective. I have not used the Dadant trap that Robo mentioned and have senced move my Florida operation to the mountains of North Carolina...
no beetles here......yet.....
                                         Steve,