Hello All, Dick, The migratory beekeeper has less trouble with SHB than others because the small hive beetle many times will leave the hive when moved. Another beekeeper from Georgia which sent three loads of bees into 2006 California alomonds has two complete sets of pallets. By swiitching all hives to new pallets and also reducing into singles the chances of sending SHB and fire ants is greatly reduced. As many on the list know I spend time in the south every winter and have looked through plenty of southern hives. In Georgia & Florida all the hives contain a few SHB. Brian, What part of "thousands of hives in California contain SHB" do you not understand? Did border controls stop tracheal mites? Did border controls stop Varroa? Did border controls stop africanized bees? After over 50,000 hives were sent into California containing SHB over eight years ago and the SHB is established in California. What is turning a load for a single dead SHB all about? If you go back and look at my comments over the years you will see I said: Border controls will not stop the spread of tracheal mites ( was tried and did not work)! Border controls will not stop varroa in the U.S. ( was tried but did not work as package shipments came rolling ) Migratory beekeepers paid for quarentine stupidity (while the package shippers kept shipping packages with tracheal mites, varroa and now SHB) Quarentines did not stop AHB! One commercial beekeeper we thought was doomed to spend the rest of his days in the Rio Grande valley when AHB was discovered. After a few YEARS he was able to leave with his 3000 hives. Turning loads for less than a true infestation of small hive beetle at the California border is a joke! Shows ignorance and is stupidity ( and history) repeating itself. If you do not learn from past mistakes you will be doomed to repeat past mistakes! -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---