First there was the big heat and then came the big rain, not of biblical
proportions thank goodness although the residents of Townsville in tropical
Queensland would be forgiven for thinking so after they had a years rain in a
little over a week. This in a place where it does rain. Further south we were
recipients of rain from these weather systems as they move across to the south
east, typically thunderstorms in the afternoon. It was as though the Australian
landmass had been moved several degrees of latitude northwards towards the
equator such was our weather. Hot and humid turning our normally dry brown
landscape green and almost lush for a few weeks. Ideal breeding conditions for
the small hive beetle (SHB).
I noted Paul’s trepidation regarding a future UK invasion of the SHB so have
attached a couple of links for your perusal. One with everything you could
possibly want to know about the insect and a second which includes similar
information but goes on to talk about management options. Not all their options
are in accordance with natural beekeeping but that will be obvious.
Salient points for natural beekeepers are that the SHB’s preferred breeding
conditions are hot and humid, typically 30+ C and 70% humidity. Looking at the
UK Met service's web site it seems to me that Oxfordshire will be too cold for
most of the year for the SHB to thrive. This is also our experience in Canberra
although here it is usually too dry. So in my hives I sometimes see a few
beetles but the consequence of their presence is negligible. I find good
natural beekeeping methods plus or minus the traps installed in the hive floors
(mentioned in the second link article) are are sufficient in Canberra. I have
not used the traps for several years now with no ill effect. Some people site
their hive(s) in a chicken run. The foraging chickens will make short work of
the larval SHB as they leave the hives for their pupation phase in the soil
around the hive.
http://beeaware.org.au/archive-pest/small-hive-beetle/#ad-image-0 ;
<http://beeaware.org.au/archive-pest/small-hive-beetle/#ad-image-0>
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/220240/small-hive-beetle-management-options.pdf
<https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/220240/small-hive-beetle-management-options.pdf>
