Mann Lake flyer in the mail

[Slowmodem]

I got a sale flyer in the mail today.  In-store and online specials.  Got to the last page and  noticied that they're touting their package bees as "Certified Small Hive Beetle Free".  That's interesting.  I would assume since they're from "up north" that SHB wouldn't be a problem.  I guess everyone is on the look out for them now.  I guess that's a good thing.

I predict that SHB will tie or surpass mites as the worst bee problem in a few years.

[barry42001]

I've already killed a couple small hive beetle in one of my hives

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[DLMKA]

Just because Mann Lake is in way up north doesn't mean that's where their packages come from. I'm going to bet that all their packages come out of the same handful of queen breeders and package producers that everyone gets them from, all from hives fresh out of almonds.

[barry42001]

don't know where the Northern Line is that would prevent small hive Beatles from living. they've turned out like everything else that is invasive to be remarkably resilient. originally Africanized honey bees were thought to never have been able to break out of the south
what they have and her believing they don't know how far north they can spread I believe the similarities between the two exist hades they probably co-exist with each other.

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[G3farms]

What kind of delivery date do they have on the packages?

Now do a little bee math to see if the queens are coming from "up north" also. I have not even seen any drone brood yet, at least not last week anyway.

Like DLMKA said, almond bees.

[Perry]

In fact, does it really matter? Up here you can get packages from Australia that are mite free. What good does that do you when you have to place them in a Province that has mites everywhere? In fact I am willing to bet because they have had absolutely no exposure to varroa, that they would be even more susceptible to crashing. SHB has been found in areas of our Country, so I am not sure of their inability to survive any restrictions on them due to climate.

[brooksbeefarm]

It amazes me how the varroa mites and shb can find hives in remote wooded areas like where i keep bees, especially when i raise most of my queens and start nucs from my own bees??? It's just a matter of time that the varroa and shb will have a predator or disease that will wipe them out,  and maybe, just maybe? we can get back to the good old days of beekeeping . I know wishful thinking. Jack

[LazyBkpr]

  I'll sign on and wish with you Jack. 

[riverbee]

perry~
"SHB has been found in areas of our Country, so I am not sure of their inability to survive any restrictions on them due to climate."

perry is correct on this i think, i have read some studies of SHB and their ability to survive colder climates, and it would seem that the adult beetles can survive during winter in the bee clusters and can therefore survive in any location where bees exist. 

i don't have SHB, i know there are areas in wisconsin that do, apparently they were found here in 1999.  they were brought here by the migratory movement of hives and package bees.

[ablanton]

We have just come through one of the coldest winters in YEARS for this area.  One of my strongest hives already has a SHB level that I typically haven't seen until July or August.  I'm worried about this year . . .