Hello All,
I have been looking in my spare time for a solution to the small hive
beetle problem since I returned from my trip to Florida a few weeks ago.
After quite a bit of thought about the problem I decided a trap would be
best.  One which could be used in the honey house and also in the hive or
HIVE AREA.
After much research I wasn't able to find a trap ever devised for a small
hive beetle.  Coumaphous under a piece of *cardboard* works but the only
attraction is being able to hide.  My trap would be baited.  With what and
what chemical could be used?  I was sure Coumaphous could be the killing
agent but wasn't sure about the bait.  I found the bait quite by accident.
Many beekeepers know I raise (Osmia Lignaria)  solitary bees.
I found while researching solitary bees that the Alfalfa leafcutter bee was
being preyed upon by two beetles years ago. A species of grain beetle
(Tribolium madens)  and several species of carpet beetles (Trogoderma).  I
believe these beetles to be of the same size as the small hive beetle
because nesting hole size of Alfalfa LC bees is 5/16.  SHB size is approx
1/4 inch. To find information on the trap the USDA came up with to eliminate
these beetles you need to go back over 30 years and search through solitary
bee records as I did.
Below is the information that I found:
Both groups of beetles can be baited from the nests and killed with DDT
(what they used 30 years ago.)- treated pollen pellets taken from pollen
traps on honeybee hives.  Coumaphous powder could probably be rubbed on the
pollen from the strips or the checkmite strip could simply be placed across
the trap entrance.  The pellets can be placed under the nesting material
(solitary bees nesting materials)  where the bees cannot contact them or in
boards with shallow grooves or corrugated cardboard with flutes too NARROW
for the BEES to enter.
In my opinion the trap baited with pollen could be placed in areas of the
honey house floor.  USDA would have to OK in the U.S. Because most honey
supers contain almost no pollen I believe SHB would go directly to the
traps.  We have not got the SHB in Missouri yet and I am only putting out
information I have found and a few of my ideas for solving the problem.
Because Coumaphous is registered for use against SHB and has shown to be
effective I believe Coumaphous might be the best chemical to be used in hive
traps.  Maybe our researchers will work out a way to use Coumaphous with
pollen in a trap with the existing registration.
Maybe I found a good use for the pollen comming out of China!
I will continue to work on the problem but the above is all I have come up
with so far.  From the start I thought even with Coumaphous,  bait should be
added but wasn't sure what the bait should be.
Hope the information helps!
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison