# how to get rid of hive beetles



## farmgirl6

For the first time in the five years I have been keeping bees, when I extracted honey from the frames I found hive beetles, ugh...how does everyone treat for these things? I try to be organic so an organic method would be best for me


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## CarolT

Never mind


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## BjornBee

Keeping strong hives and paying attention by not allowing too much comb so the bees do not lose control is best.

Ground treatments, and almost everything in the magazines being marketed, has to do with some type treatment based on trying to control the larvae after they leave the hive.

What a Joke! If you got larvae (SHB worms) dropping out of the hive and are trying to kill them at that stage of the process, you lost your hive.

Who cares at that point, since the next wave of beetles may come from miles away, and not under your hives.

I made these statements to probably the leading SHB researcher, and I must of caught him off guard. He studdered, agreed, and was lost for words.

A few beetle in the hive is not worth worrying about.

Freeze your supers after extraction. Or let your bees clean them out. For the most part, SHB are usually on wet supers or boxes. They don't do much to comb that does not have honey.

Ultimately, you will find some bees handle them great while others do not. But much of this success is the beekeeper paying attention and doing his/her part.


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## alleyyooper

Lots of small bee keepers who can get in their hive every couple of weeks use coragated card board on the top bars to keep them under some control. Place a square in the hive and in a couple of weeks remove it into a pail of hot water I've been told.

DIY traps.
http://www.greenbeehives.com/abgrbe.html

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/bees/small_hive_beetle.htm
pay attention to the Clutural and mechanical controls section.

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/food/inspection/bees/info-shb-treatment.htm

 Al


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## southerngurl

I had a few when I got my first hive. I put one of those mineral oil traps in there and crushed a couple by hand and havent seen any in a few weeks except dead in the trap. The number in the trap hasn't changed either so I think they are all gone for now. I also have metal under my hive which would screw up their life cycle but would hope never to get to that point! 

I read that the bees themselves will round them up and hold them like in prison so they can't run around and do anything, but when we open the hivemthey get lose in all the confusion, something to think about too.


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## southerngurl

I just have one of these little traps, slide between the frames. http://www.rweaver.com/images/Supplies-sm-hive-beetle-trap.jpg


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## greg273

Interesting thread, hope you dont mind farmgirl if I ask a related question...
We've got 2 new hives this year... first ever, actually, bought 2 nucleus hives late this spring. Each has 2 deep supers, they are filling out about 60% of the second hive body I put on a month ago.
Saw two hive beetles when I first opened one of them... up top, on the inner cover. Bees are looking good, and storing honey. At what population are they considered a menace? Will the bees take care of them in a reasonably strong hive? We're pretty new at this, but starting to learn....

The only thing unusual about that hive was the excessive burr comb the bees were building on that inner cover, they were apparently finishing a leftover project from when I left them in the first deep super too long. I scraped it all off this time, it was empty, except for a few drops of honey.


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## greg273

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/bees/small_hive_beetle.htm

Great link Al. Its amazing to think these beetles made their way throughout the US so quickly!


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