If you’re a beekeeper, you know how devastating small hive beetles can be to your hives. In this post, we’ll discuss the best methods for getting rid of small hive beetles and preventing them from taking over your bee hives. This is important information for any beekeeper who wants to protect their hives and ensure the health and safety of their bees.
What are Small Hive Beetles?
The Small Hive Beetle or SHB is a small, dark beetle that can cause damage to beehives by laying eggs in the honeycomb, leading to fermentation and spoilage of the honey. They can also cause the bees to abandon the hive. It’s important to monitor hives for the presence of small hive beetles and take steps to control their population to protect the health of the honeybees and the productivity of the hive.
The Small Hive Beetle is an opportunistic pest of honeybees. They can be found in most healthy hives, but they become a real problem if the hive becomes weak.
Small Hive Beetle Lifecycle
It’s important to be aware of the life cycle of small hive beetles in order to effectively manage and control their population. Small hive beetles will lay their eggs in the pollen cells within the frames of a beehive. These eggs will remain dormant until the following Spring.
Once the Spring weather arrives, the small hive beetle pupa will emerge from the pollen cells within the hive and will look like small inch worms. The larva will then crawl out of the hive and fall to the ground, where it will pupate and emerge as a fully developed hive beetle.
Disrupting SHB Reproduction
1. Remove infested materials: To disrupt Small Hive Beetle (SHB) reproduction, it’s important to regularly remove any infested materials from the hive. This includes removing any damaged or infested frames, comb, or hive equipment.
2. Monitor hive health: Regularly monitoring the health of your hive can help identify any signs of SHB infestation early on. This can help prevent the beetles from laying eggs and reproducing in the hive.
3. Use beetle traps: Beetle Bait SHB Traps are scientifically formulated to attract and kill adult Small Hive Beetles within the hive. These traps can help reduce the beetle population in the hive and disrupt their reproductive cycle.
4. Keep hives strong: Maintaining a strong and healthy hive can help prevent SHB infestations. This includes ensuring the hive has a strong population of bees, proper ventilation, and good hive management practices.
Small Hive Beetle Season
During the summer months, the SHB population will be at its peak, as the warm weather provides ideal conditions for their reproduction and development. Beekeepers should be especially vigilant during this time to prevent infestations and protect their hives.
It’s important to regularly monitor hive health and take necessary steps to control and manage small hive beetle populations during this season.
In conclusion, the best way to get rid of small hive beetles is to maintain a strong and healthy hive. Regular hive inspections, proper sanitation, and the use of beetle traps can help control their population. It’s important to stay vigilant and take proactive measures to prevent the small hive beetle from becoming a problem in your hive.