David Owens, Extension Entomologist, owensd@udel.edu
Unfortunately, Bob Lieby knows what small hive beetle is. This pest gets under my skin more than Varroa mite. Strong hives in full sun tend not to deal with them in our area but watch out for hives that get afternoon shade! I have lost a few hives over the last two years to them, and they quickly turn an otherwise healthy-looking colony (from the outside) into a stinking, slimy mess of unusable comb and missing bees. Nematode soil drenches help, as does GuardStar soil drench around hives. Inside hives, folks use oil pans, hive beetle traps, traps with pollen patty, and Swiffer dusting sheets to trap beetles.
