SHB

[toddbalsiger]

I started going through my hives which just came back from California yesterday.

My beekeeper friend had put a feeder on one of my hives and had added some pollen substitute on top of the sugar.

When I looked down I immediately saw small hive beetles (the larva) crawling around eating that pollen substitute. They were all inside the division board feeder and out it went. I looked at adjacent frames and they were clean.

This live was in a single deep (fall nuc) and had a western placed on top with the feeder. The hive itself did very well and had honey in the frames in the western and was full bees.

The bees were down in the feeder working the sugar amongst the SHB larvae.

Because I have seen these creatures before I readily identified them no doubt.
I just hope they don't get established up here and can't live in our environment but since our bees are going to California and commingling with others I'm not too surprised.

[rak]

I dont think they will last long. Ever hear of them adapting?

[toddbalsiger]

Adapting, yes. At an orsba convention a guest speaker said he had small five beetles in his hives in I believe the state of Minnesota.
He said the beetle survive in the hives otherwise they'd die.

But you may be right and I certainly hope so.