Beetle Blaster

Small Hive Beetle Trap

Beetle Blaster is a patented trap to control populations of Small hive beetle (Aethina tumida).

Low cost, easy to use device with low maintenance.

It can be used at any time of the year as needed.

Act as a sentinel to detect the arrival of the SHB.

It controls SHB populations when they arrive.

Inspecting the trap is easy, unambiguous and clean.

Low cost consumables - small amount of vegetable oil.

The trap does not interfere with the normal activities of the hive.

Environmentally friendly, it does not harm bees or hive products.

SHBs can be easily and hygienically disposed of in the low-cost disposable trap.

The trap only targets the SHBs and can be used at any time of the year as needed.

 

Europe's beekeepers are currently facing the threat of a new pest, the Small Hive Beetle (SHB), but to combat it is already available a tool from Vita (Europe) Ltd. The Beetle Blaster is a device Simple, environmentally friendly and low cost, which can alert beekeepers to the presence of the SHB beetle and help control their proliferation.

Insert a plastic canister filled with food grade oil in the hive and the SBH present in search of a place to hide will be attracted to this and will be trapped. The beekeeper can then remove the beetles trapped in the Beetle Blaster. Since beetles tend to attack the periphery of a colony first, traps 23 cm long are designed to hang between the outer frames of the brood chamber, thus assuming minimal impact on the normal activity of the bees.

Vita (Europe) Ltd. Technical Director Max Watkins said: "The arrival of the small beetle in Europe is very disappointing, but not surprising. Without control, SHB can wreak havoc on an apiary, but beekeepers should not be exasperated. It is possible that the new pest can not be eradicated, but it is certainly possible to control its proliferation and impact.

"Healthy colonies will be able to resist the invasion by SHB using the Beetle Blaster to control their development in the hive. But maintaining the health of the colonies is vital, and therefore it is even more important to treat them against Varroa to ensure that the bees remain as healthy as possible. It is yet another challenge for bees and beekeepers, but this can be overcome by maintaining the health of the colonies. Fortunately, beekeepers are ingenious and do not give up, so we are pleased to be able to supply this trap for SHB before the expected arrival of the beetle across Europe. "

The SHB beetle can reproduce rapidly and its effects on bee colonies can be devastating. It feeds on the offspring, honey and pollen, destroying the honeycomb and destroying the honey causing fermentation. Without control, SHB can completely annihilate a weak colony.

The beetle is native to sub-Saharan Africa where it is considered only as a minor pest because native bees are able to keep it under control. But when SHB spreads to other countries, local bees are not as effective at controlling it. It was first identified in 1998 in the United States and in Australia in 2002. The impact on the US. UU. Was strong at first, although many beekeepers have now adopted techniques to control it. In Australia, the impact has generally been less acute, but in both countries it is still a pest of bees, very difficult to eradicate.

The manner of arrival of SHB in southern Italy is unknown and its impact has not yet been thoroughly evaluated. Due to the considerable migratory character of beekeeping throughout Italy, it is to be hoped that the SHB will spread to other parts of Italy and hence its advance to other parts of Europe seems inevitable.

It is not yet possible to predict with any certainty the range of environmental conditions of SHB outside Africa. The beetle poses the greatest threat in hot humid climates such as Florida, but has also been found farther north to Canada. So much of Europe seems to offer adequate habitat for the pest.

The Small Beehive of the Hive can be propagated in various ways, including through colonies of bees, queen bees, hive products and, in particular, mature fruit. As a result, seaports are a potentially important entry point.