AU2007329182A1

AU2007329182A1 - Method and apparatus for controlling infestation of beehives

Info

Publication number: AU2007329182A1
Application number: AU2007329182A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Leslie William Heenan; Patricia Margaret Heenan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-12-05
Filing date: 2007-12-05
Publication date: 2008-06-12
Also published as: WO2008067602A1

Description

WO 2008/067602 PCT/AU2007/001878 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING INFESTATION OF BEEHIVES This invention relates generally to the control of infestation of beehives and is particularly concerned with infestation caused by small hive beetles. 5 The small hive beetle was introduced from South Africa and has now spread over the east coast of Australia. The beetle infests the hives, eats larvae honey and can contaminate the hive with their subsequent waste resulting in the eviction of bees if the population of the beetles reaches a certain threshold level. There have been previous attempts at solving the 10 problem, but these mainly revolve around inserting trays of substances within the hive that are detrimental to the hive beetle and not to the bees. However, the problems associated with these methods are the subsequent contamination of the honey through contact with the substances included in the trays and the frequent maintenance of having to dissemble the hive in which to remove and/or service these trays containing the detrimental substances. 15 According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for controlling infestation of a beehive caused by small hive beetles including the steps of providing holes in a base of the beehive which are configured to facilitate the passage of small hive beetles therethrough but inhibiting the passage of bees therethrough, and locating a receptacle 20 adjacent the holes externally of the beehive for collecting the small hive beetles therein. The method may further include the step of providing a substance within the receptacle which is deleterious to the small hive beetle. 25 According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for use in the method described above, the apparatus including a receptacle which is adapted to be arranged adjacent the base of the beehive and below the holes therein. The receptacle may be arranged relative to the base of the beehive so that its interior is relatively dark compared with the interior of the beehive. 30 WO 2008/067602 PCT/AU2007/001878 -2 In one form the receptacle may include an open topped tray including mounting sections which are adapted to cooperate with mounting sections on the beehive so that in an installed position, the tray is arranged with the open top adjacent the external surface of the base adjacent the holes therein. 5 In one form the mounting sections on the tray may include flanges on the opposed sides of the tray preferably at the edge of the open top. The mounting sections on the beehive may include a pair of spaced apart rails on the underside of the base each rail having a recessed section which is adapted to slidably receive a respective one of the flanges therein when 10 the tray is in the installed position. Preferably the deleterious material may be chosen from lime, for example, although it will be appreciated that other materials could be used. 15 Preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and in those drawings: Figure 1 is a schematic end view of apparatus according to the invention; 20 Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section of a tray for apparatus according to the invention that part to the left of the broken line being a section taken along the line A-A in figure 1; and Figure 3 is a plan view partly in section of the tray shown in figure 2 that part to the left of 25 the broken line being a section taken along the line B-B in figure 1. Referring to the drawings there is shown apparatus which is suitable for use in the control of infestation of beehives caused by small hive beetles. The beehive includes a base 30 having a plurality of holes 32 therein which extend through the base 30 from the interior of 30 the beehive to externally thereof. The holes are dimensioned such that small hive beetles can pass through the holes but bees are inhibited from passing therethrough. For example WO 2008/067602 PCT/AU2007/001878 -.3 the holes may have a width of about 3mm and preferably less than 2.5mm. The apparatus includes a receptacle in the form of an open topped tray 10 having an open side 12. The tray is adapted to be positioned externally of the beehive so that the open top 5 12 is disposed adjacent the holes 32. As shown the tray 10 may be mounted to the base 30. The tray 10 is an elongated body having opposed side walls 14 and 15 with mounting flanges 16 and 17 thereon. A tray mounting section includes a pair of parallel spaced apart rails 21 and 22 which are 10 secured to the underside of the base 30 of the beehive. Each rail 21 and 22 includes a recessed section 23 and 24 which are adapted to receive respective flanges 16 and 17 therein, the flanges being slidably received within the recesses so that the tray 10 is suspended from and held against the underside of the base 30 of the beehive. When installed the open top side 1.2 of the tray is immediately adjacent the holes 32 in the base 15 30. Because of this configuration the amount of light which can enter the interior of the tray is limited. The tray 10 includes a handle 19 by which the tray can be gripped for mounting and removing the tray from the base of the beehive. The tray 10 can have therein a substance which is deleterious to the small hive beetle. The 20 substance may be lime or any other substance which can eventually kill or immobilise the small hive beetle. The trays can be of any suitable size, shape or configuration. For example, in one embodiment the tray is generally rectangular in plan and may be about 350 mm long, 50 mm wide and 35 mm deep. 25 In operation small hive beetles are attracted to the relative darkness of the tray interior and tend to move through the holes from the interior of the beehive into the tray whereupon they are in contact with the substances therein. On or more tray assemblies may be provided on the base of the beehive arranged in any 30 suitable configuration.

WO 2008/067602 PCT/AU2007/001878 -4 The present invention exhibits many advantages over currently known techniques. For example the trays can be removed, inspected and cleaned without opening the beehive. Bees are inhibited from entering the tray. The apparatus can be retrofitted to existing beehives which can function in the usual manner. No toxic chemicals are required. 5 The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of 10 endeavour to which this specification relates. Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps 15 but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. Finally, it is to be understood that the various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention. 20

Claims

1. A method for controlling infestation of a beehive from small hive beetles including the steps of providing holes in a base of the beehive configured to permit the 5 passage of small hive beetles therethrough but inhibiting the passage of bees therethrough, and locating a receptacle adjacent the holes externally of the beehive for collecting the small hive beetles therein.

2. A method according to claim 1 including providing a substance within the 10 receptacle which is deleterious to the small hive beetle.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the receptacle is arranged relative to the base of the beehive so that its interior is relatively dark compared with the interior of the beehive. 15

4. Apparatus for use in the method of claim 1 or claim 2 including a receptacle which is adapted to be arranged adjacent the base of the beehive and below the hole therein. 20

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the receptacle includes an open topped tray including mountings which are adapted to cooperate with mountings on the beehive so as to position it with the open top adjacent the external surface of the base.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the mounting includes a rail on the beehive 25 base spaced therefrom so as to form a slot and said mounting on the tray includes a flange on an edge of the tray which is slidably receivable within the slot.

7. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the detrimental material is lime. 30

8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein the receptacle is arranged relative to the base of the beehive so that its interior is relatively dark compared WO 2008/067602 PCT/AU2007/001878 -6 with the interior of the beehive.

9. A method for controlling infestation of a beehive from small hive beetles substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying 5 drawings.

10. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.