Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Saturday - August 22, 2015

From: Liberty Hill, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Pests
Title: Question about a beetle eating bees
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I have a beetle that is about index finger or pinkie fingernail size. I have a bee hive and it's eating the bees by injecting it with an inch long probe and sucking out the liquid of my bees.

ANSWER:

Sorry, but you are asking your question (I guess your question is what is the beetle and what can you do about it?) to the wrong source. Our focus and expertise here at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center are with plants native to North America. You really need to ask an entomologist or a beekeeper about this. However, I did find this article, The Small Hive Beetle: a Pest of Honey Bee Colonies from North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension Service and another article, Managing the Small Hive Beetle from the University of Arkansas using an internet search with the terms "beetle pest of bees".

If this is not the beetle that is infesting your hive, however, you should try contacting one of the organizations below to see if they can help you:

Austin Area Beekeepers Association

Urban Beekeeping in Austin, Texas

American Beekeeping Federation