| *Predators Bears - (also see Malady Info Overview - Bears) Damage  Bears are a serious threat
to beekeeping operations since they do a great deal of damage to hives and equipment. They normally visit the apiaries
at night, smashing the hives to get to the brood and honey and scattering frames and equipment around the apiary.
Once bears locate an apiary, they return again and again, and it becomes exceedingly difficult to control their
marauding behavior.(Vandals - Now and then vandals can be a problem for bees and beekeepers. Colonies in apiaries have been pushed over (especially when bees are not active), burned or shot. The actions of vandals are sometimes difficult to distinguish from bear attacks. However, vandals rarely remove combs from hives while bear usually do remove frames. Also bears typically break frames and eat combs.) |
| Control - Bears There are several precautions the beekeeper can take to reduce the chances of bear damage. Typically, bears move through their home ranges using preferred travel routes which often follow along certain ridges, ravines, streambeds, or along the forest edge. While these are not always well worn paths, they may be. Beekeepers can help avoid damage from  bears by careful selection
of the apiary site. Placement of colonies on or near bear crossings or dumps will most likely result in problems.
Research has shown that the farther bee yards are located from the forest edge and ravines, the less chance there
is of bear visitation. Whenever possible, game commission personnel try to trap a nuisance bear and move it to
an area where damage is less likely to occur and where it is desirable to increase population levels. They use
baited culvert traps mounted on a small trailer, or special foot snares, to capture problem bears.An apiary can be protected from bears by a sturdy electric fence. Such a fence must be dependable, relatively cheap to construct, and often capable of isolated areas. Recent research in North Carolina has tested a relatively inexpensive and simple fence that has been reasonably effective in deterring bears. The fence is constructed with steel concrete rein- forcing rods cut to 4-foot lengths and driven 12 inches in to the ground. Three strands of barbed wire are used. The top and bottom wires are strung using plastic insulators on each rod to avoid contact with the rod. The middle strand is wired to each rod with a small scrap of wire to ensure good contact with the metal. This middle wire serves as ground. The bottom wire should be 6 inches above the ground with 12 inches separating the others. A stake and guy wire are used for extra support of each corner.  Insulated gate handles
can be used to open the fence for easy access by vehicles. Sturdy electric fences with a wire mat around the outside
perimeter to prevent bears from digging beneath appear to be the most effective way of protecting colonies from
bear damage. Two other basic fence designs are used by the beekeeping industry. One design consists of 3 or 4 strands
of barbed wire, 10 to 12 inches apart, with the lowest wire 6 inches from the ground. The other design is a 4-foot-high
woven wire fence, with two strands of barbed wire, 8 inches above the ground and above the woven wire fence. With
both designs, either steel or wooden posts can be used. For all fence designs, power is supplied with a 6- or 12-volt
battery which often proves to be the weak link in the system. Both the battery and electric fence charger should
be protected from the weather and housed in an occupied hive or in an empty hive body. Because a good ground is essential, many recommend earthing the wire mat outside the fence. Depending on the size of the battery and type of charger, the battery must be recharged every 3-6 weeks. With the simpler fence designs, it is important to have some kind of bait (e.g., suet or pork rind) attached to the wires. With the bits of bait, the bear receives a proper introduction to the electricity as it touches the tempting morsels with its moist tongue or nose. Without the bait, the bear is likely to crash right through the wire, as impervious to the electricity as it is to bee stings. During warm weather, bacon or pork rind does not last long, so the beekeeper must continue to replace old with new. Local butcher shops can be a cheap source of old bacon and pork rind. Fences are totally ineffective if not installed and managed properly. The location of the electric fence is important in protecting colonies of bees. Avoid a site with overhanging trees, as limbs falling across the wires may render the fence inoperable. It is also quite common for bears to climb trees and then drop down inside the fence. To ensure continued successful operation, you must control grass and weeds along the fence so that they will not contact the charged wires and short them out. |
| Skunks - (also see Malady
Info Overview - Skunks) Damage  In some localities, skunks
are a serious threat to successful beekeeping, since they hamper the development of strong colonies. Being insectivorous
(insect-eating), these animals will raid bee yards nightly, consuming large numbers of bees. While such attacks
are most common in the spring, they also can occur throughout the summer and fall. To capture their prey, they
scratch at the hive entrance; when the workers come out to investigate the disturbance, they are knocked down and
eaten. A successful animal will repeat the process several times and may feed at the hive entrance for an hour
or more. In addition to rapidly depleting the bee population, skunks make a colony aggressive since they usually
return night after night. Besides the front of the hive being scratched up and muddy, the grass in front of the
hive will be packed down or torn up and there will be small piles of chewed-up bee parts. These animals chew the
bees until all the juices are consumed, then spits out the remains. These remains resemble cuds of chewing tobacco. |
Control Strong colonies sometimes
put up a good fight, but weaker colonies usually fall victim. Therefore, maintaining strong colonies is a partial
deterrent to these predators attacks. They also may be discouraged by screens or queen excluders attached to the
front of the hive above the entrance. These devices hamper the animals from scratching at the front entrance, and
if it climbs up the screen over the entrance, its belly becomes vulnerable to stings. Fencing the bee yard or placing
the colonies on stands would be an effective technique but the cost may make it prohibitive. Moving your bees to
a new location is another approach but is often considered impractical. |
| The Small Hive Beetle - (also see
Malady Info Overview - Small Hive Beetle) (Aethina tumida) The small hive beetle, our newest bee pest, was first identified in Florida in the spring of 1998. Before its discovery in the U.S., the beetle was known to exist only in tropical or sub-tropical areas of Africa. How it found its way to North America is not certain. Since adults will feed on fruit and are especially fond of cantaloupe, the beetles may have been accidentally introduced into this country via a shipment of fruit originating from Africa. While the small hive beetle is not considered a serious pest in South Africa, some Florida beekeepers experiencing heavy infestations have seen the quick collapse of strong colonies. As of February 1999, the beetle has been found in apiaries in Florida, Georgia, and North and South Carolina. They were also found in supers of honey sent north from Florida, but were destroyed. So far, the areas where it has successfully established itself appear to be restricted to regions along the East Coast of the U.S. This is probably due to the sandy soil conditions in these areas which allow the beetle to successfully complete its life cycle. To date, beetle infested colonies in Georgia, not located on sandy soil, have not reached damaging levels. |
 Description The adult beetle is small (about 1/3 the size of a bee), reddish brown or black in color and covered with fine hair. The larvae are small, cream colored and similar in appearance to young wax moth larvae. You can differentiate the beetle larvae from wax moth larvae by examining their legs. Beetle larvae have three sets of legs just behind the head. Wax moth larvae, like all moth and butterfly larvae, have three sets of legs behind the head but in addition have a series of paired prolegs which run the length of the body. Prolegs are absent in beetle larvae. Life Cycle Adult females lay their large egg masses on or near beeswax combs. In South Africa the eggs hatch in a few days, producing a great number of small larvae. The larvae consume pollen and wax but also will eat honey bee eggs and larvae. They complete their larval stage in 10 to 16 days and then drop to the ground where they pupate in the soil. Adults emerge from the soil in approximately 3-4 weeks. The females are capable of laying eggs approximately one week after emerging from the soil. They are good flyers and easily disperse to new colonies where they deposit eggs to begin a new generation. Close observation of beetle infested colonies in Georgia has shown that the beetles completely shut down reproduction during winter. |
Damage  While this beetle is considered
a minor pest in South Africa, the U.S. experience to date would suggest that it has the potential to be a pest
of significant economic importance, in at least some areas. Whether or not it can successfully establish itself
in temperate regions or in areas without sandy soil is not yet known. This information will be key to determining
its importance as a pest in the northeast. In North America beetles appear to be able to readily take over even strong colonies with little resistance by the bees. A few beetles can produce masses of larvae. In addition to consuming the resources of the colony, according to a study by Dr. A. E. Lundie (Union of South Africa, Science Bulletin 220, 1940, 30 pp.), the adult beetles defecate in the honey causing it to ferment and run out of the combs. Full honey supers stored in the honey house or on hives above bee escapes, and weak hives with honey but few bees, seem most vulnerable to attack. When small hive beetle infestations are heavy, even in strong colonies, queens will stop laying eggs and the bees may abscond. |
| Detection All spring and subsequent hive inspections should be done with an eye open for this pest. When opening a hive containing beetles, they can be seen running across the combs to find hiding places. Adults may also be detected under top covers or on bottom boards. If an infestation is heavy, both adults and masses of larvae may be seen on the combs and bottom board. These larvae do not produce silken tunnels, webbing or cocoons in the hive (as wax moth larvae do). According to the Entomology Insect Information Series pamphlet, "Small Hive Beetle" prepared by Mike Hood (Clemson University), varroa mite sticky boards are ineffective for use in detecting adult beetles. The beetles move easily across the sticky material even if the boards are coated with a stickier material such as Tangle Foot®. However, corrugated cardboard with the paper removed from one side, placed on the bottom board at the rear of the hive, has been successfully used in detecting adult beetles. The beetles appear to seek shelter in the corrugations. Fermented honey exuding from full supers in storage, waiting to be extracted, or on active colonies, is a sign that hive beetles may be present. A "decaying orange" odor may be given off by the fermented honey. Control If you find evidence of, or are concerned about the possibility of a hive beetle infestation, you are urged to immediately contact your state apiary inspector (Department of Agriculture; see last page). Pennsylvania has recently received a section 18 (emergency use) registration for the chemical coumaphos, in the form of Bayer Bee Strips, to control this pest. However, because this pest is not yet found in Pennsylvania, and because heavy hive beetle infestations are destructive and likely to cause the death of the colony, beekeepers are strongly urged to take drastic measures to slow the spread of the pest. These measures may include freezing or burning the infested hive and bees. Freezing at 10°F for 24 hours, is reported to kill all life stages of the beetle. To reduce the threat of this pest in your apiary(ies), it is highly recommended that you take the following precautions: • maintain only strong, healthy colonies • keep apiaries clean of ALL equipment not in use • extract honey as soon as it is removed from colonies • destroy these beetles as soon as they are detected Hive Treatment The section 18 registration for Bayer Bee Strips is for non-food use. There is no allowance for any coumaphos residue in honey or wax. All surplus honey supers must be removed before treatment and not be replaced until after the treatment has been removed. Coumaphos is in a group of highly toxic materials called organophosphates. The dermal (absorption through the skin) toxicity of coumaphos to mammals is approximately 20 times greater than that of Apistan. It is therefore imperative that beekeepers follow all label instructions, including wearing gloves, when using Bayer Bee Strips. Use either rubber dishwashing gloves or chemical resistant gloves; cloth bee gloves are not recommended. With all the treatments necessary to keep bees alive over the past several years, many beekeepers have developed a very casual attitude toward the use of chemicals in beehives. Many consider that if it doesn't kill the bees, it can't hurt me. Coumaphos is not a material to be handled casually: misuse of Bayer Bee Strips can lead to serious consequences. READ AND FOLLOW THE LABEL DIRECTIONS WHEN USING THIS OR ANY PESTICIDE. • Wear chemical resistant or rubber dishwashing gloves when handling these strips. • Do not treat colonies with surplus honey supers if the honey is to be used for human consumption. • To use Bayer Bee Strips, prepare a piece of corrugated cardboard about 6X6 inches by removing the paper from one side. Cut the Bayer Bee Strip in half crosswise and staple both pieces to the corrugated side of the cardboard. The cardboard should then be placed in the center of the bottom board with the strips facing down. • The treatment should remain on the colony for at least 3 days but no more than 7 days. The section 18 registration for coumaphos expires in January 2000. Bayer will continue to work toward a section 3 (general use) registration for their bee strips. If the section 3 registration is not approved then we will apply for renewal of the section 18 registration. In the meantime, EPA through state pesticide agencies, will monitor the use of Bayer Bee Strips. If any misuse of the product is documented or any residues are found in honey, chances for continued use of the product will be jeopardized. If general use registration can be obtained for coumaphos, we would urge all beekeepers to stop using Apistan for 2 to 3 years, hoping that Apistan may regain its effectiveness. After this the two treatments could be used alternately which could extend the effective life of both chemicals. Bayer Bee Strips provide control of the small hive beetle when used according to the label instructions. For more detailed information on the use of coumaphos for beetles and varroa mite control, please see our pamphlet "Recommendations for the use of Coumaphos." This can be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture or the Penn State Cooperative Extension Service (see addresses on last page). Under the section 18 registration, the sole distributor of Bayer Bee Strips is Mann Lake Ltd, 501 South First Street, Hackensack, MN 56452-2001, orders 1-800-233-6663, office 218-675-6688. They will be required to keep records of the number of strips sold in each state. Soil Drench Y-Tex Gardstar® 40% EC Livestock and Premise Insecticide (permethrin—see note below) has been approved in controlling the small hive beetle around honey bee colonies. Hive beetles must pupate in the soil to complete their life cycle. This pesticide used as a soil drench provides treatment for the beetles, while minimizing contact with bees and honey. For treatment of existing infestations, apply as soon as beetles or larvae are observed in or around the hive. Thoroughly wet ground in an area 18-24 inches wide in front of each hive (1 gallon per 6 hives). Apply in late evening after bees become inactive. For pre-placement treatment of apiary, apply to entire ground surface 24-48 hours prior to hive placement. Note: Permethrin is highly toxic to bees and extreme caution must be taken to avoid contact by spray or spray drift with the bees, hive equipment, or any other surfaces that bees may contact. When hives are present, application of the pesticide may only be made with a sprinkler can. Hand pump sprayers may only be used when hives are not present and only for pre-placement treatment of an apiary. Do not contaminate any water or food source that may be in the area or apply during windy conditions. For better soil penetration and improved efficacy, cut grass around hive prior to application. Honey bee colonies returning from any infested state: The Pennsylvania Apiary Inspection Service, at the recommendation of the Pennsylvania Beekeeping Advisory Board, will require that all colonies returning from Florida be inspected for the small hive beetle. If the small hive beetle is found in an operation, all colonies within that beekeeping operation are required to be treated with coumaphos before the colonies can return to Pennsylvania. Nucs and packages being purchased from states where infestations currently exist: Small hive beetles can be easily transported in nucs and packages. We should all be concerned about the importation of these beetles into Pennsylvania via nucs and packages, especially those sold to new beekeepers. The Pennsylvania Apiary Inspection Service, at the recommendation of the Pennsylvania Beekeeping Advisory Board, is requesting that all beekeeping operations producing nucs and packages in states where the small hive beetle is currently found, treat parent colonies with coumaphos before making up nucs and packages destined for Pennsylvania. The Inspection Service will also request the names of Pennsylvania beekeepers receiving nucs and packages from beekeeping operations in southern states where the small hive beetle is known to exist. These beekeepers will be sent information on the small hive beetle and the recommended use of coumaphos for its control. |