Small hive beetle

[pokeyjeeper]

Well I was going to do a inspection yesterday but it was trying to rain so I just checked the feeder and I seen three small hive beetle as most of you know I'm running a Kenya top bar hive so a top bar trap will not work I seen a video that don the fat bee man has on YouTube where he uses the political signs and crisco and boric acid has any one used this or have another way to rid the hive of these cridders
Here's the link

youtu.be/nSSm_6QoCN0

[swampcat]

PJ I've been thinking about the beetles myself. My mentors mentioned the swiffer sheets, I've seen them on youtube used and early on, I tried to make a deal where I sandwiched a sheet between two pieces of cardboard,
not wide enough for a bee to get in to but a small beetle might.. Just an idea.. I haven't seen any beetles in my hive, other than one just after I installed the package.. I think it came in the package..

Well I checked the name I got some at Dollar General, and it was Dry cloth refills..

[pokeyjeeper]

Good information cat I've also found where guys are using a cd case and making a small cut in the side and baiting it with boric acid and crisco or drilling a 1/4" hole in each corner just through the top clear side and putting mineral oil in it and a few drops of cider vinegar in the center just a few options to try may help someone out

[pokeyjeeper]

Well I did a full inspection today with my wife no one got stung only seen two beetle and one got the hive tool used on it sorry I didn't get any pictures as it was the first time my wife has worked bees and she was nervous and we are going into a dearth again so I wanted to keep the girls under control so my wife had a good experience the first time with no stings I did put two of the boric acid traps in the hive for the beetles so we will see if it works

[pokeyjeeper]

Update on the beetles only seeing 2-3 on each inspection so I may have been all worked up over nothing I still have the home made traps in the hive and they have not killed the bee so I think they are a good cheap option I don't know if they are killing any beetles need to look in on the girls soon and see how they are doing with honey stores been feeding 1/1 syrup with two feeders a pint jar in the hive and a quart jar about 50 yards away from it they are putting away about all of it each day but I know I'm feeding other bees to and some yellow jackets