Back to: Ohio Information Sheets
BEEKEEPING INFORMATION OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE -
PESTS OF HONEY BEES
MICE
Problem: Mice cause damage to both stored combs and active bee colonies. Mice enter the hive in late faIl to build nests before the winter season. In building the nest, mice will chew holes into several combs thus destroying them. In a good honey flow, bees will replace the combs. However, if usually will be drone comb, which is undesirable in the brood chamber.
Control: Reduce the colony entrance to about 3/8 inch before late fall. This can be done by using a standard wooden entrance reducer of hardware cloth of three wires to the inch. On stacks of stored equipment, using excluders or tight covers will help keep equipment free of mice. In addition, traps can be placed around the stored equipment.
SKU N KS
Problem: Skunks feed on bees at night by scratching at the hive entrance and eating the bees that come out. Paint is scraped from the hive, vegetation is destroyed
cit the entrance and dirt is sometimes seen on the bottom boards. Skunks can severely reduce bee populations and the bees many times, become very aggressive due to the skunks' disturbances.Control: There are many suggested control measures. Some of these are as follows:
1] Using various types of traps (odors possible).
2] Use rodent bait, placed in six inch tile to protect other animals.
3] Place paradichlorobenzene (moth crystals) in jars with perforated lids around the apiary.
4] Sprinkling the skunk's path with lye.
5] Shooting.
6] Extend a screen outward from the entrance to prohibit scratching.
Problem
: Two species, small black ants and carpenter ants are frequently seen in Ohio and sometimes nest in hives. While the small black ant does not cause serious damage, they are very annoying to the beekeeper during colony manipulation. Carpenter ants however, burrow info the wooden hive parts and can cause structural damage.Control: It is difficult to control ants once they have strongly infested a beehive. Control measures should start before there is a problem.
1] Remove brush, rotten wood and cut grass in the apiary to decrease nesting sites.
2] Place all colonies on hive stands and put axle grease in containers so the ants will have to cross the grease to get to the hive itself.
3] Leave the inner cover hole open and keep the hive clean of wax and propolis buildup.
4] If ants are present, ground nesting sites can be treated with an approved insecticide. Some insecticides recommended are: diazinon, undone, dursban and/or baygon. Insecticides should not be used in the colony. Extreme care must be taken in their use.
5] When carpenter ants have damaged hive parts, the replacement of these parts is usually necessary.
GREATER WAX MOTH
Problem: Most destruction is to storage combs, especially in warm, dark and poorly ventilated places. Strong colonies defend themselves. However, weak, diseased, starved or otherwise abnormal colonies are easy prey by wax moths.
Control: Use paradichlorobenzene in dosages of 3 ounces or 6 tablespoons per stack of 5-6 hive bodies or supers. Do not use in conjunction with food use (honey). Only use when storing empty combs.
Cold treatment is excellent especially when keeping comb honey. If kept frozen comb honey will never be subject to wax moth infestation. Cold can be used for both food and non-food use.
Prepared by: Gordon Rudloff
State Apiarist