SoCal Beekeeping

Small Hive Beetles
1/3/2018
P. Michael Henderson

When I was processing frames for honey a while back, a small hive beetle ran out on the comb.  I then started worrying that I had an infestation of small hive beetles in one of my hives.

So I bought some Small Hive Beetle traps from Mann Lake.  Here's one of the traps, seen from the top.

The same trap, seen from the side.

You put the trap into the hive, between two frames.  The instructions said to put them at the top of the hive.

Then you pour some of this oil into the traps.

The theory is that the bees will harass the beetles and the beetles will go into the trap to escape the bees and will drown.  They hide anywhere they can in the hive, especially in small crannies in the hive.

I put a trap into each of my hives and left the traps there for quite a while.  Every time I checked the traps, there was nothing in them - not a single small hive beetle.

In reading about small hive beetles, the common wisdom is that a strong hive can control small hive beetles - that they become a problem when the hive is weak.

So, for now, I quit worrying about small hive beetles.  I don't have traps in my hives at this time.  If I encounter small hive beetles again, either in a hive examination or when processing honey, I'll put the traps back in and see if I can get any beetles.