I just received a phone query from a friend who is using division board
feeders to bulk up some hives for winter in the great white North. He is
concerned that many SHB larvae are floating to the top of his division
board feeders when he fills them, and asked me if I had a solution for this
problem. In these parts (upstate New York, north of Albany) SHB are
present, but I've never found them to be the bane that they are in southern
states. The only time I've had SHB problems were in cases when the bees
were no longer on the combs, as may be the case if a hive dies, or when
supers sit in the extraction room for too many days. I have SHB in my
hives, but for the most part the bees keep them check.

So back to my friend's problem with SHB larvae in the division board
feeders: first off it surprised me that the larvae were in the feeders, I
thought they were critters of comb and pollen. I suspect the infestation is
elsewhere and the larvae are just hiding in the feeders.  He is scooping
the larvae that float to the top out with a spoon and feeding them to his
chickens. But he wonders if there might be something he can add to the
syrup to deter the beetle larvae but not hurt the bees. He will experiment
with bleach (a tablespoon per gallon). Stay tuned.

Might there be other suggestions?

Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!

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