Small Hive Beetle Blaster Trap

01 · THE LEGAL PART FIRST

If one turns up, it has to be reported

Aethina tumida is a notifiable pest in the European Union. It is not present in Spain; within the EU there are outbreaks in Italy and on the French island of Réunion.

That changes what this trap is for: here its role is surveillance — what the trade calls a sentinel hive — not control of an infestation. And if a beetle ever did turn up in the trap, it is not something you deal with yourself: there is a duty to report it to the official veterinary services, who decide what happens next.

02 · HOW IT WORKS

Food-grade oil, and not filled to the top

The trap is filled with about 25 ml of food-grade vegetable oil — sunflower or corn — never to the brim. That detail is what makes it work: if the oil reaches the edge, the beetle can reach the lip and climb out. Filled to about a third, it goes in and stays in.

And the oil has to be food-grade, not mineral: this goes inside the hive, in contact with bees and with the honey.

A bait that works well is cider vinegar with a layer of oil floating on top: the vinegar draws them in and the oil finishes the job.

03 · WHERE AND HOW MANY

Two per colony, on the outer frames

It slots between the top bars, using the gap between frames, and preferably on the outer frames rather than the middle ones: the beetle runs from light and from bees, and heads for exactly those edges.

For surveillance or a light infestation, two traps per colony is enough. They are checked on any normal visit: if clean, top up the oil and leave them; if a beetle shows up, take them out and put fresh ones in.

04 · BEFORE YOU BUY

A simple, reusable plastic trap: