If you have a beehive, no doubt you will be aware and on the lookout for the pest, Small Hive Beetle (SHB).
The Small Hive Beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida is found world-wide threat was first recorded in Australia in 2002. SHB is a scavenger of honey bee colonies, decimating hives and can destroy entire colonies of bees. Unfortunately we have not been able to eradicate SHB and the beetles have since spread from wild hive colonies and have since become one of the greatest threats to the beekeeping industry.
Last week our local Gold Coast Amateur Beekeeping Club hosted a Bee Open day. It was a fantastic day with speakers and market stalls showcasing the latest products, news and education for new and experienced beekeepers. I am always keen to meet beekeepers who invent and create their own innovations to improve any part of the process of inspection, pest control to honey extraction. One such inventor I met was Bruce Wallace from Beetle Buster.
Although I have tested a few different products on the market to help manage SHB, I had not seen a product developed with such attention to detail than the Beetle Buster. This new new baseboard design is super easy to set up and put your brood and super on-top.
This is how it works:
- This new concept allows the hive beetle to enter and walk on the baseboard, but with this totally unique baseboard design, the beetle can’t travel up into the hive.
- Instead, the beetle walks, or is pushed through the holes of the baseboard by the bees.
- After the beetle is through the hole it falls onto an under tray which is sprinkled with diatomaceous earth where it dies.
- The tray is removable allowing the beekeeper to inspect for small hive beetle or any other problems the hive may have.
Today I set it up. I decided I would replace my Nuplas baseboard with my new Beetle Buster. I have an 8 frame box and it all sits together nicely.
Easy peasy! Stress Free!
If you want to go buy one go to Beetle Buster.