Mike wrote:
>The mode of control you've mentioned affects the inter-stage between the
larval stage and the pupal stage of the small hive beetle.  That does not
affect the destructive stage of the beetle which is the larval stage.   

Yes - they can only be a long-term control strategy, not a short term fix.


>Putting that aside, how well have you found that predatory nematodes have
controlled the population level of beetles in your hives? 
> I know that what you have is anecdotal evidence, but still your experience
with this control method should be informative.  I have used these nematodes
on a yard that I no longer have so was not able to really get a feel for how
they worked as a control method.


As you note, my experience is entirely anecdotal, and so only marginally
useful, especially given that I am a casual, small hobby
beekeeper/bee-haver. But I have a lot of experience with predatory nematodes
in the garden -- I've grown at least some of my food almost every year for
the past 35+ years, and have a B.S. degree and a couple of years of grad
school in soil science, focusing on soil microbiology. That was a long time
ago, but I've kept up to some degree with ongoing research and think that
predatory nematodes are extremely valuable and under-used for organic pest
control. But, like any soil life, they are also affected by soil conditions
-- both natural, such as soil texture and drainage, and human controlled,
such as pesticide applications. 

I applied the nematodes around my hives about 6 years ago, and the problem
appeared to go away within a year -- which means simply that I haven't
noticed any beetles or damage. But, as I say, I'm a pretty casual beek, and
don't go into the hives often, though I'm pretty sure I'd notice a bad
infestation. 

 I do have a fairly sandy soil, which nematodes -- and SHB -- prefer. I have
used nothing else in or around the 4 hives I had 5 years ago, which dwindled
to one over the years, losing 2 of them in the early spring, just when I
thought they had made it, and one over a bad winter.  But that one hive that
survived has gone for 4 years with no interference from me of any kind
except to put it back on the stand a couple of times when a local bear
knocked it over and dragged the top box off into the woods for a feast. I
split that hive a couple of weeks ago -- it had two hive bodies packed full
of bees. Mother and daughter seem to be doing well, and I'm getting a nuc
this weekend. I hope to have a bit more time to pay attention to my bees
this year. I will re-apply nematodes at the first sign of SHB, since I've
moved the hives around to different spots in the yard, and post my
observations here, if there is interest.

Your discovery about a way to get rid of the larvae is fascinating! I wonder
if commercial pollinators have observed this effect when moving hives by
truck?

Regards,
Diotima

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