Reusable Small Hive Beetle Trap

This small trap for the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) is made of rigid plastic and is a compact, handy tool to monitor the colony for small hive beetle and to trap it. This trap is made of rigid plastic, making it ideal for repeated use. The small hive beetle is a threat to European honey bee colonies, as just a few beetles can quickly ruin an entire colony. For monitoring colonies, one of these traps is sufficient. If an infestation is present, 2–3 traps per hive are recommended. The trap measures 17 x 3 x 0.8 cm (w x h x d).

How does the small hive beetle trap work?
Fill the trap with a thin layer of oil. The trap has small holes that bees cannot enter, but the small hive beetle can. Beetles walk over the trap, fall in, and get stuck in the oil. When the trap is full, it can be removed. To attract the beetles, you can add a thin layer of apple cider vinegar in addition to the oil. The apple cider vinegar acts as an attractant for the small hive beetle.

What are the advantages of this small hive beetle trap?

• Low-cost device, easy to use with minimal maintenance
• Can be used at any time of the year
• Works as a monitoring tool to detect small hive beetle
• Limits small hive beetle populations upon arrival at the apiary
• Trap inspection is simple and takes little effort
• Cost-effective: just refill with a thin layer of oil and the trap does the work
• Can be used alongside other hive tasks and does not affect, for example, the honey harvest
• Environmentally friendly and in no way harmful to bees or bee products
• Small hive beetles can be removed easily and hygienically in the reusable trap