Hello Michael & All,
Please don't kill the messenger over what I am about to say. Only passing on
information from the largest commercial beekeeper in a southern state.

He said placing checkmite under the black plastic does little to stop SHb in
winter as many winter in the cluster.
Placing a single (or half strip) in the cluster does. They will all be dead
on the bottom board in spring.

I do not have SHB in my area yet. I have been through all my hives doing
spring work and had over 200 deeps full of honey & pollen sitting outside
for several weeks to use in spring splits. I finished going through most
last week and not one  small hive beetle.

We are going through hives returned from almonds next week to make splits so
will look again but so far no small hive beetle.All have been gone through
once.

Using  something to kill SHB in the winter cluster in the north does make
sense. I only wish the chemical of choice was not choumaphos.

Our bee labs have shown little interest (so far) in the beekeepers asking
for research on a milder chemical to kill SHB in the cluster rather than
coumaphos.

In Florida SHb can winter outside the hive and the bee labs (and beekeepers)
report many do. In the north many believe as I do SHb will for the most part
move into the bee hive cluster to winter. Adults which will hold off egg
laying till
spring and are susceptible to a pesticide.
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Odessa, Missouri

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