Catching Small Hive Beetle

How to Prepare and Deploy lantern Traps

First detected in Australia in 2002, small hive beetle (SHB) is now the largest and leading apiary pest in warm, moist locations of eastern Australia. The pest feeds on bee larvae and turns honey into fermented slime, essentially wiping out whole hives. A Queensland-based research team led by Dr. Diana Leemon has completed a three-year research project as part of the AgriFutures™ Honey Bee and Pollination Program, investigating the development of an external attractant trap for SHB in an attempt to reduce numbers affecting hives.

Further information about the video, Dr. Diana Leemon

That is the video we made from our research project! The project report for the external trap is now up on the AgriFutures website. It was only published there a couple of weeks ago. It has a link to the video in it. I am currently using the trap daily to track SHB movement, first 5 weeks from when they really started to move at the beginning of October I trapped over 2,000 on my property.

One thing though, I have modified the attractant mix a bit. It is actually slightly better with 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 tablespoon of sugar along with the 1 teaspoon of yeast and 1 cup of water. It is the same trap and mix essentially that we were using at the Wheen Bee Foundation apiary for trapping last year.

Heaps more videos produced and ready to go soon so subscribe to us on youtube https://bit.ly/2GAjURn & you’ll get updates as soon as they’re released.

We would encourage all beekeepers to try this recipe and method for yourself and share your experiences with us.

Information and video courtesy of the good people at AgriFutures Australia. Go to their website to find out more or video the video below.

This is another video in a number that we have produced for members of the illawarra beekeepers Association and all hobby beekeepers for the management of their colonies.