On 6/9/2011 11:56 AM, allen wrote:
> I am particularly worried about unoccupied brood chambers in storage for a season.
>    
  My initial infestation came from a neighbor who brought in nucs from 
SC. I noticed the beetles first in nucleus colonies...under the bag 
inner cover. Convenient place to hide. A couple weak nucs had small 
clutches of SHB larvae, but not big deal. Second year I had a few supers 
of honey slimed in the hot room. Not a big loss, just a wake up call.

What happened in the storage barn was different. I had a pallet of brood 
combs from that spring's deadouts. When I discovered the problem, there 
were beetle larvae crawling across the concrete floor and out the 
overhead door to dirt. I never even unwrapped the hive bodies. Just 
moved the whole thing to the burn pile and torched it.

The third year I saw a few adult beetles crawling out of a mating nuc 
feeder in March. Haven't seen one since and that was 5 years ago. Hot 
room hasn't been slimed.

I don't believe SHB can overwinter successfully in the north. I doubt 
that SHB pupae can survive in our clay soils. Without constant 
re-infestation, what beetles do survive seem unable to breed.

Mike
Champlain Valley

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