Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => Pests and Diseases => Topic started by: jb63 on October 20, 2018, 06:51:55 pm

Title: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: jb63 on October 20, 2018, 06:51:55 pm
(https://thumb.ibb.co/g1RLML/20181020-153051.jpg) (https://ibb.co/g1RLML) (https://thumb.ibb.co/by7Gvf/20181020-153039.jpg) (https://ibb.co/by7Gvf) (https://thumb.ibb.co/i3M9Ff/20181020-153030.jpg) (https://ibb.co/i3M9Ff) (https://thumb.ibb.co/iNxugL/20181020-153015.jpg) (https://ibb.co/iNxugL) (https://thumb.ibb.co/cyTd80/20181020-152938.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cyTd80) (https://thumb.ibb.co/ePby80/20181020-152922.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ePby80) (https://thumb.ibb.co/jvCGvf/20181020-152918.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jvCGvf)
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: tedh on October 20, 2018, 07:34:37 pm
I'm leaning towards wax moth larva.  Ted

Edit and add:  Are those pictures from a dead out?
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: jb63 on October 20, 2018, 07:58:58 pm
They are out of a nuc. and I didn't see any of the woolie cocoons like wax moth.
     
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: jb63 on October 20, 2018, 08:03:45 pm
This frame had plastic foundation, and on the other side there was brood.This comb looked like it had been chard and I just scraped it off with my hive tool.
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: riverbee on October 20, 2018, 10:30:00 pm
jb, like ted said, looks like wax moth larvae to me
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: Mikey N.C. on October 21, 2018, 08:36:27 am
Wax moth there's a larvae in pic. 4
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: jb63 on October 21, 2018, 09:17:31 am
Thx all. We haven't had shb here in Oregon yet, but I've killed a few this summer. I do hope they are wax moth.
 
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: Bakersdozen on October 21, 2018, 09:25:33 am
Small Hive Beetle would probably still be running around in there with the bees.  The bees usually chase them up to the top of the hive and try to corral them. They will even overwinter with the cluster.  If you have seen some SHB around, but not in the hive, I would go ahead and install some beetle blasters aka beetle jails.  They are a great way to tell if you have some lurking around and they are chemical free.
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: Lburou on October 21, 2018, 11:15:52 pm
I see small hive beetles in the first picture.  Seeing no silk cocoons, I would guess those are SHB larva.  Sorry.  I like to use beetle be gone from BWeaver.  You can also use swiffer pads and similar cloths that trap the SHB and a few bees.  HTH
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: Bakersdozen on October 22, 2018, 05:26:45 am
This link gives a comparison of the two larvae.  It displays a great picture of SHB and wax moth larvae side by side.
https://oceanbeachbees.wordpress.com/2016/08/13/wax-moth-or-small-hive-beetle/ (https://oceanbeachbees.wordpress.com/2016/08/13/wax-moth-or-small-hive-beetle/)
This may help you in the future.
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: Lburou on October 22, 2018, 10:04:59 am
Here is a pic of wax moth larva I've uploaded in the past.

(https://thumb.ibb.co/j9CVaq/P1030523-LI.jpg) (https://ibb.co/j9CVaq)
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: Jacobs on October 24, 2018, 11:07:20 am
One quick way to know when larvae are small like those in the photos is the "smash" test.  Wax moth larvae will smash easily, while SHB larvae are much harder to crush.  If you have a funky smell in nectar/honey areas, slimy or shiny tops to capped honey, larvae crawling in and out of cells, and no webbing, you have SHB.  In our area, we can have both and they are usually opportunistic and can take hold in hives that are too small/weak to protect comb.

If you have either and the damage to the comb/mess  is not too extensive, do not wait;  Get these frames in the freezer for 3-4 days to kill the larvae, and strong hives will clean them up and repair them.
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: jb63 on October 25, 2018, 09:43:36 am
Yes they are shb. I'm having to get a quick education so thanks for all the first hand knowledge. I watched a F.S.U.  video and they mentioned a  nematode you can put on the ground to attack the pupating larva. Have any of you used that? And if so where do you get it?   
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: jb63 on October 25, 2018, 09:45:53 am
Also I ordered a dozen beetle blaster jails.
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: Lburou on October 25, 2018, 10:37:21 am
They are out of a nuc. and I didn't see any of the woolie cocoons like wax moth.
     
Keep an eye out for SHB and smash them immediately.  They look like little black ladybugs.
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: Jacobs on October 25, 2018, 11:49:30 am
Our State inspectors tell us to have hives in the sun as much as possible.  The SHB do not do as well as they do in the shade.  Our old wisdom of having a hive in the sun in the morning and in the shade in the afternoon no longer applies.  Also, if you are taking honey frames for extracting in SHB country, be prepared to extract in a day or two or put frames in refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to extract.  It only takes about 3 days for unprotected honey frames to have SHB larvae on them causing mischief.
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: neillsayers on October 25, 2018, 04:10:06 pm
One difference is the wax moth has legs all down its underside while the SHB has legs toward the front. SHB larvae are about a centimeter(3/8"). Wax moth are much longer and appear more like a caterpillar, which is what they are. :)
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: jb63 on October 28, 2018, 10:11:55 am
I ordered some nematodes today. They are called Heterorhabditis Indica. I am curious if any of you have any experience with them?   
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: Bakersdozen on October 28, 2018, 11:11:25 am
I ordered some nematodes today. They are called Heterorhabditis Indica. I am curious if any of you have any experience with them?
Yes, I tried them about 2 years ago in the spring.  They are expensive and you must apply at least twice a year.  I seem to recall they were around $30 per treatment.  I may have seen a slight decrease in SHB as a result of nematodes.  Now, I use beetle jails, swiffer cloths and my hive tool  :laugh: year round to keep them in check.  I try to use all at once.
I ordered my nematodes from Georgia.
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: Lburou on October 28, 2018, 11:33:17 am
In our location, success against SHB has been achieved with strong colonies, in the sun with afternoon shade (it is very hot here), and the beetle be gone pads.   At last month's Bee Club, I learned some are using beer in the beetle jails, instead of mineral oil.   :)

Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: Wandering Man on October 28, 2018, 01:59:01 pm
In our location, success against SHB has been achieved with strong colonies, in the sun with afternoon shade (it is very hot here), and the beetle be gone pads.   At last month's Bee Club, I learned some are using beer in the beetle jails, instead of mineral oil.   :)

Beer?  Gotta wonder how many they'd been drinking to come up with that as a solution.

 :occasion14: :occasion14: :occasion14:
Title: Re: Are these small hive Beetles?
Post by: Newbee on November 25, 2018, 06:11:06 pm
Small Hive Beetle would probably still be running around in there with the bees.  The bees usually chase them up to the top of the hive and try to corral them. They will even overwinter with the cluster.  If you have seen some SHB around, but not in the hive, I would go ahead and install some beetle blasters aka beetle jails.  They are a great way to tell if you have some lurking around and they are chemical free.

I ran them  in my hive last year with Carni's with goods success. This year my hive has russian bee's, and nary a one was found in the  traps (yet I have seen them in the hive top feeder)   :eusa_think:

I second the advice however, cheap and easy, little to no downside.

- K