<<and eleminate the cost and polution of another chemical application. If this
could be done it would be simple, inexpensive and we wouldnt even have to
wear chemical resistant gloves to apply it and could wash our hands as we
normally would just before eating and could enjoy our non toxic honey
without concern for our future health or the health of those to whom we
have sold or given honey.>>

    Sadly, even if we find good nontoxic alternatives to treat SHB, I think
we will still need to keep quick-acting chemicals in our arsenal to defend
against reinfestation by "free-flying beetles." It might be possible though,
to move the chemicals out of the beehive itself.
    In the Dec. 1999 issue of ABJ, on page 934 there is an article about SHB
where the authors talk about speedy infestation rates:
    "Part of the problem is the rapid developmental rate for beetles during
hot temperatures....This was brought home in July when we hung up some traps
baited with a piece of brood comb about 4 inches square and 300 adult bees.
This comb was free of beetle eggs or larvae when we hung the traps on a
Wednesday. By Monday following the weekend, there were lots of good-sized
beetle larvae in the traps. This meant that free-flying beetles had found the
traps, laid eggs, which hatched and larvae developed to the quarter inch
size—all in about 5-6 days."

This prompts two questions:
1) Has anybody studied the range and behavior of "free-flying beetles"?
2) Could such "free-flying beetles" be enticed into poisoned bait traps
positioned around an apiary that would seem even more attractive than the
beehives, perhaps using a powerful pheramone lure?