6 Best Bottom Board Traps For Small Hive Beetles That Old Beekeepers Swear By
Veteran beekeepers share their top 6 bottom board traps for defeating Small Hive Beetles. Protect your hives with these proven, effective solutions.
You crack open a hive on a warm afternoon and see them—dozens of little black beetles scurrying away from the light, a sight that makes any beekeeper’s stomach drop. The Small Hive Beetle (SHB) isn’t just a nuisance; it’s a hive-destroying pest that can turn a booming colony into a slimy, fermented mess in a matter of weeks. Choosing the right defense is critical, and for many seasoned keepers, the battle starts at the bottom board.
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Understanding the Small Hive Beetle Threat
The Small Hive Beetle, Aethina tumida, is an opportunistic pest. It seeks out weak or stressed colonies, laying eggs in comb that hatch into larvae. These larvae burrow through pollen and honey, defecating and fermenting the honey, creating a disgusting slime that causes the bees to abscond.
A strong, populous hive is its own best defense. The bees will actively corral the beetles, trapping them in "jails" made of propolis. But even strong hives can become overwhelmed, especially during a nectar dearth or after a split.
This is where bottom board traps become a cornerstone of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy. They work by exploiting the beetle’s natural instinct to hide from the bees in dark crevices. By placing a trap under a screened bottom board, you give them a place to hide that becomes their final destination.
The Freeman Beetle Trap: A Classic Design
The Freeman trap is elegance in simplicity. It’s essentially a sturdy, shallow tray that slides into a slot beneath your screened bottom board. You fill it with a shallow layer of vegetable or mineral oil, and you’re good to go.
Its biggest advantage is its straightforward design and low cost. There are no complex parts to break or clean. When beetles fall through the screen or are chased down by bees, they land in the oil and drown. It’s a simple, effective mechanism.
The tradeoff is maintenance. The shallow tray can fill with hive debris, requiring frequent cleaning and refilling, especially during peak season. A heavy rain can also splash water into the tray, displacing the oil if your hive stand isn’t well-protected. Still, for its reliability and ease of use, it’s a go-to for many.
The West Beetle Trap for Maximum Capture
If the Freeman is the reliable pickup truck, the West trap is the heavy-duty dually. It’s designed for one thing: catching a massive number of beetles. This trap is typically deeper and features a specific entry system that allows beetles in but makes it very difficult for them to get out.
The design often includes a front-loading drawer, making it easy to service without disturbing the colony. Its larger capacity means you don’t have to clean it as often, a huge plus when you’re managing multiple hives. The deeper oil reservoir is also less prone to being compromised by debris or rain.
This trap is a workhorse, especially in areas with heavy SHB pressure. The main consideration is cost, as it’s a more engineered product than a simple tray. But if you’re tired of constantly cleaning shallow trays or are facing a serious beetle invasion, the investment pays for itself in saved time and healthier hives.
Betterbee IPM Screened Bottom Board System
This 10-frame screened bottom board enhances hive ventilation and helps regulate temperature, especially in warm climates. It arrives fully assembled and coated in 100% beeswax for weather protection.
This isn’t just a trap; it’s a complete monitoring and control system. The Betterbee IPM board combines a screened bottom, a removable corrugated plastic sheet (the "sticky board" slot), and an integrated trap tray. The white or yellow color of the board makes spotting and counting pests like beetles and varroa mites incredibly easy.
The real power here is the data you get. By sliding in the board, you can quickly assess the beetle population in your hive without a full inspection. Are you seeing five beetles or fifty? This information helps you decide when to activate the oil trap or take other measures.
This system encourages a proactive, not reactive, approach to pest management. It forces you to think about pest levels before they become a full-blown crisis. While the components work together, the system is flexible, allowing you to use just the monitoring board or deploy the oil tray when beetle counts rise.
Dadant’s Ultimate Beetle Blocker Board
Dadant’s take on the bottom board trap focuses on actively funneling beetles to their doom. This design often incorporates a specially grooved or corrugated surface on the board that sits just below the screen. Beetles, seeking a dark place to hide, crawl into these grooves and are naturally directed toward the oil-filled trap at the end.
This clever design increases the capture rate by exploiting the beetle’s own behavior against it. It doesn’t just wait for them to fall; it leads them into the trap. It’s a highly effective system that many keepers find reduces the in-hive beetle population noticeably.
The key is ensuring a tight fit and proper installation. Any gaps between the board and the hive body can give beetles an escape route. But when set up correctly, it’s a formidable defense that works around the clock to protect your colony.
The Guardian Hive Stand & Beetle Trap Combo
Provide a stable and durable foundation for your hive with the MayBee Adjustable Metal Bee Hive Stand. Its adjustable height (16.1"-20.9") and width (15"-19") ensure compatibility with most standard hives and promote optimal ventilation.
This option takes a completely different approach by integrating the trap into the hive stand itself. The Guardian stand features legs that sit in oil-filled reservoirs, creating a moat that crawling pests cannot cross. This provides a first line of defense against beetles and ants trying to enter the hive from the ground.
This is a fantastic solution for preventing ground-based invasions. It’s a "set it and forget it" system that protects your hive 24/7. It also elevates the hive to a comfortable working height and provides excellent ventilation.
However, it does not stop beetles that fly directly into the hive entrance. For this reason, many beekeepers use the Guardian stand in combination with an internal trap, like a Freeman tray or an in-hive baitable trap. Think of it as perimeter security, not a complete internal solution.
Country Rubes Beetle Baffle Tray Insert
For beekeepers who already own screened bottom boards and don’t want to replace them, the Country Rubes insert is a brilliant retrofit. This is a durable plastic tray with a unique "baffle" system—a series of molded funnels that make it easy for beetles to enter but nearly impossible to climb back out.
You simply slide this tray into the slot on your existing bottom board and fill it with oil. The baffle design is incredibly effective and significantly reduces the chance of bees or other debris getting into the oil. It turns any standard screened bottom board into a high-efficiency beetle trap.
This is a cost-effective upgrade that delivers impressive results. It’s perfect for the beekeeper looking to improve their beetle control without investing in entirely new bottom boards for every hive. The durable construction also means it will last for many seasons.
Choosing and Using Your Beetle Trap Oil
The trap is only half the system; the substance you fill it with is just as important. You have a few solid, field-tested options, each with its own tradeoffs.
- Vegetable Oil: Cheap, readily available, and non-toxic. Its main drawback is that it can go rancid over time, creating an unpleasant smell during cleanout.
- Mineral Oil: Lasts much longer without going rancid and is equally effective. It’s a food-safe product, but you should still handle it carefully to avoid spills.
- Diatomaceous Earth (DE): A dry alternative for those who dislike dealing with oils. DE is a fine powder made of fossilized diatoms that kills beetles by abrading their exoskeletons and causing them to dehydrate. The downside is that it becomes useless once it gets wet.
No matter what you choose, don’t overfill the tray. A thin layer, just a quarter-inch deep, is all you need to drown the beetles. Overfilling just wastes oil and creates a bigger mess. Regular maintenance is key—clean out the dead beetles and debris every few weeks to keep the trap effective.
Ultimately, there is no single magic bullet for Small Hive Beetles. The best bottom board trap is the one that fits your budget, your management style, and the specific beetle pressure in your area. By understanding these proven designs, you can move beyond simply reacting to pests and start building a resilient, proactive defense that will keep your colonies strong and productive for years to come.
