Beekeeping Hints – Controlling Small Hive Beetles with Diatomaceouse Earth – DTE
 
For old time gardeners and beekeepers, the use of diatomaceouse earth(DTE) is an old and well used tool when it comes to trying to get a handle on unwanted pests.
 
For the beekeeper fighting small hive beetles(SHB), DTE is used liberally under the hives with the intent of disrupting the growth cycle of SHB’s by killing the larva phase.  The natural growth cycle of a SHB requires that the larva spend some time in the earth before it emerges as an adult insect, so if you can kill or disrupt its larval cycle you can help reduce the numbers of these things we have to deal with.
 
The application is simple.  Just sprinkly liberally below your hives.  I prefer to use St. Gabriel’s brand ( no paid plug here ) as a fellow beekeeper’s research determined this to be the best working variety for his hives.  And, I don’t like to reinvent the wheel.
 
I did a quick low budget video on utube that you can find here – https://youtu.be/D57iYySh_1M
 
I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand…in the bee yard.