Small Hive Beetle SHB

Discussion and questions.
danalion
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2013 10:51 am

Small Hive Beetle SHB

Post by danalion » Tue May 26, 2015 6:55 pm

I am finding a lot of what look and act like small hive beetles in my hive. I just got the package on May 3 to replace winter losses. I have never seen SHB before and I thought they were not in Colorado. Could they have come in with the package bees? What are other people seeing? Any SHB traps that people have found that work?

Backyard Bees
Posts: 65
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:52 am

Re: Small Hive Beetle SHB

Post by Backyard Bees » Thu May 28, 2015 3:36 pm

Hi, Danalion.

Would you post a picture of what you're seeing?
Backyard Bees
P.O. Box 7426
Boulder, Colorado 80306
http://www.BackyardBees.com

danalion
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2013 10:51 am

Re: Small Hive Beetle SHB

Post by danalion » Thu May 28, 2015 4:10 pm

I find about 10 at a time on the screened bottom board insert. They are good fliers so I drown them in water. They have clubbed antennae but these retract after they die and can't be seen. There have been about 100 in the last day.

Dana
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Backyard Bees
Posts: 65
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:52 am

Re: Small Hive Beetle SHB

Post by Backyard Bees » Thu May 28, 2015 6:28 pm

Thanks for the images. Yes, it's possible for SHB to come in via package bees. I've alerted beekeepers on BCBA's email list to this thread & hopefully someone with SHB experience will chime in.
Backyard Bees
P.O. Box 7426
Boulder, Colorado 80306
http://www.BackyardBees.com

amstec
Site Admin
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Re: Small Hive Beetle SHB

Post by amstec » Thu May 28, 2015 6:31 pm

Hi Danalion,

Hard to tell from your photo, but they do not appear to be SHB. You can see photos of SHB and their larvae here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_hive_beetle

Your photo looks like they are longer. Are you able to get a closer photos of them?

amstec
Site Admin
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2012 11:15 pm

Re: Small Hive Beetle SHB

Post by amstec » Thu May 28, 2015 6:35 pm

Reading your post again, where you say they do have clubbed antennae, I suggest you take a deeper look inside the hive to see if you can find any larvae. There are a lot of good photos on Google if you search for small hive beetle and then click on Images.

danalion
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2013 10:51 am

Re: Small Hive Beetle SHB

Post by danalion » Thu May 28, 2015 6:59 pm

Thank you for your help. I have looked at hundreds of photos via google and am concerned by the clubbed antenna. I am going to search the entire hive tomorrow when I have help lifting. My searches also indicate that SHB can be carried in new packages which should make sense as that is what this hive started from early May. If not SHB what else would they be as they seem to be a pest. I can't find any references to any other type of small beetles infesting bee hives. Has any one else had this problem? I can't get a better photo without a microscope. If they persist I may consider sending them to CSU for ID if that is not too expensive. I will also make a SHB trap along the lines of one I have seen on YouTube.

Thanks, Dana
Last edited by danalion on Thu May 28, 2015 9:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Backyard Bees
Posts: 65
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:52 am

Re: Small Hive Beetle SHB

Post by Backyard Bees » Thu May 28, 2015 8:44 pm

Dana,

Would you share with us where (what country/state) your package came from?

Laura
Backyard Bees
P.O. Box 7426
Boulder, Colorado 80306
http://www.BackyardBees.com

MLFrantzen
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 8:59 pm

Re: Small Hive Beetle SHB

Post by MLFrantzen » Thu May 28, 2015 9:08 pm

I, too have been concerned about small hive beetle. We caught a swarm last spring and these critters have shown up this spring.
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MLFrantzen
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Re: Small Hive Beetle SHB

Post by MLFrantzen » Thu May 28, 2015 9:12 pm

I have zoomed in closer so you can see the clubbed antenna.
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