> This is a voracious pest. It might be considered a 'minor pest' in it's
> country of origin, but they are also farming a different bee.

> He reports that the honey house of this guy is just 'crawling with maggots'.

From the country where the "minor pest" comes from, the following tips:

String up a good hot light till the surface hangs only centimetres from the
centre of  your honeyroom floor. Leave on over night and sweep up the dead and
dessicated shb larvae when you arrive the next morning. Beware of fire. They will
crawl up and over each other in an attempt to get at the light and form a pile.
Believe you me they are tough though. We have had them swimming in soapy water in
the sump the day after washing the honeyroom floor!

Another tip - for the hive manufacturer this time: Determine the optimum
bee-space for your strain of bee and religiously stick to equipment that is made
to that size. As long as the bees can get in there to clear out the adult shb
they will. We even have our bees flying off with them - as witnessed by some
Canadian beekeepers who visited here after their Apimondia congress. Also
remember: less stress on the bees = less of a problem with pests and dis-eases.

Happy beekeeping & God bless.

Robert Post
Cape Town
South Africa
Hosts of the 2001 Apimondia