Does The Guardian Hive Entrance Actually Work? Plus... A New Family Addition

[@CrusherMEC]

I've been using Guardian entrances on all my hives for two years now. It's pricey up front, but I've had great results. I don't need any other SHB control. I'm more likely to see one on the outside than the inside. I'll never be without them again.

[@sundaycaradine5406]

Hi Ladybug so glad you found your forever home. Thank you and your household for changing the criteria for rescuing this lovely little lady.

[@JCsBees]

We love Ladybug will all our hearts. She is such a great dog and a great cuddle bug too.

[@schammond8993]

I've used these entrances for several years and I do believe they work. I have taken them off for a season and started seeing hive beetles. I will say that when the Bees fly in they will sometimes crawl thru the little holes on the devise. The pollen comes right off the bee and you will have a little pile of pollen balls. It doesn't prohibit pollen storage but you will notice it. Good product. Good video. Congratulations on your new Buddy.

[@garydonovan4304]

beautiful little ladybug, iknow all about them being bed hogs

[@lindagray5857]

She’s a beauty. Our pets can sense our moods. So hard to think of my life without mine. Let us see more of her! I have had great success with the guardians.

[@beegorgeous9373]

Great news! Glad to see you smile with a dog that is filling you and your family with love! What a good review about guardian entrance! Greetings from Bolivia

[@Nenezilla]

I am so sorry for your loss. Sending good vibes from your neighbor state, Pennsylvania. LOVE Ladybug, and thank you for making her a part of your family.

[@bradgoliphant]

Hey Jason, I just checked out JC's Bees and they are in Fort Worth, Texas. You are you in Texas? They don't ship there queens--darn it. I was going to say I never see you get stung. I love these bees.

[@JCsBees]

@Brad Oliphant Here's the deal, I started my channel (JC's Bees) then not long after the guy in Texas named his channel "JC's HoneyBees". I wasn't happy about it but what could I do. It confuses a lot of people. I am in Ohio. Here is my facebook page (facebook.com/JCsBeesOhio)

[@MrFHLH]

That 2 tier hive is really doing well amazing amount of brood, going to be quite an explosion of bee's over the next few days, congratulations. The Guardian certainly seems to working keeping those hive beatles out. Sorry to hear about your dog, very hard to deal with as they are part of the family. Good luck with the new addition, she looks a lovely dog and will make a fine addition, enjoy.

[@5hivesohio]

Great Video Jason. 16 hives , 16 Guardians, and no hive beetles... I love them! They do have a video of a treatment you may have to do every few years to keep the plastic slick as the weather and sun tries to age them, but it looks like they have a handle on that too. Lady Bug seems like she’s been waiting to help you and your family. Looking forward to seeing more of her.

[@JCsBees]

@Eric Austin 16 your first year is amazing my friend! What's the end goal for your hive numbers? Do you have a link to this Guardian video? I'd love to check it out. I think your right, Ladybug was waiting on us and we are glad she is now part of our family.

[@dp.2766]

I have 4 guardians ready. Have 2 nucs ordered f/ April and swarm traps set. I also ordered 12 beetle blaster inserts, so if any get in the hive I should see them in the traps. It’s going to be my first year. Hope all goes well.🐝. 🐞🐞👍

[@JCsBees]

Sounds like your preparing to combat the nasty hive beetles. Good job! You may also want to watch my video on nematodes as a source of beetle control. Best of luck your 1st year!

[@JCsBees]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJDKenlvrZapiac

[@biz-zeebeefarm1232]

Congrats on your new addition (Ladybug). She looks like she has lots of love to give and I know you will give it to her. She fortunate to find an owner that loves animals and will give her the love and attention she needs.

[@KevinsNorthernExposure]

You and I have a lot in common.... Very sorry for the loss of Angus and congrats on the new addition. They can never replace, but they can fill that empty void left in the home. My dogs always have photo bombs or cameo appearances in my vids....I smile when I review older videos and see my dogs that have since passed do a walk thru or do something funny. Thanks for sharing.....I know exactly how you feel even though it's hard to bring to words. Take care.

[@JCsBees]

@Kevin McMahon Thanks! The loss of Angus is hard but the new dog is helping us cope. I have 2 videos with Angus that I remember, both of which are extremely hard to watch right now but I am extremely glad I got them. I know having Ladybug in future videos will be fun and nice to look back on. Did you notice I wore you tool holster? I love that thing. lol I seen down someone is asking about it in this video so be ready for another order.

[@kenjordan5164]

Jason - Very informative video. I'm so sorry to hear about Angus. They definitely become part of the family. Say "HI" to LadyBug from Ken up in NJ.

[@russellsamson1828]

Hey, Welcome Ladybug. You got a great family!!!

[@JCsBees]

Thank you so much 🤗

[@HoneyStoneFarm]

Nice to meet you LadyBug! Congratulations on your forever Home.

[@christianshannon3943]

Awesome doggie. I have fifteen feral cats that have adopted me . When I relax in the bee yard they all lay out in the grass in front of the hives . There is one kittie that will sit quietly and watch the bees fly in and out of the hives. The bees don’t mind them and they seem to guard my hives . Keep up the good videos I do enjoy them . We’ve had over six inches of rain in the last two weeks . As I was cutting the grass in front of the 17 hives I have the sweet aroma is very strong in the bee yard . Goldenrod and sunflowers along with crepe myrdle trees are blooming and bees are working them hard . In Prince George, Va my yard is saturated.

[@peterlightbody8443]

You know i watch your channel and little bits of honey , joe may lost his dog as well and just replaced it with a puppy , will bring a lot of joy to your heart ,🐕 have fun , take care Peter Australia

[@beesandtractors]

Great video Jason and a great big Hello and welcome to Ladybug!! Shes pretty! Im happy for you and your family. Looking forward to seeing more of her.

[@JB-bl2nl]

JC Beautiful dog, You both will be grateful for each other. They can’t replace the last one but they sure help in the healing process!!! Please keep up your great work I like your home engineering projects.

[@danielhowiesr.2593]

Enjoy watching your videos, JC,. you do a fine job of teaching. Sad to hear about Angus.

[@JCsBees]

Thanks, I am glad you enjoyed the video. As for Angus he is missed greatly.

[@tnbeelady7255]

Agree with the marking colors blue and green, too dark. For those years I get blue and green in pastel colors and they are great for spotting those queens. Love the fact that the colors help to indicate which years these girls were born.

[@nancynolton6079]

LOL That's one big "Lady" Bug! Rates right up there with a big fat queen! Let us know how she deals with the bees! Feel you pain with the loss - so many won't take on another dog due to the pain of a loss. But I always say there is room in my heart and home for another lovin' pup and who better than us to give another dog a wonderful life! Don't have any hive beetles yet this year. Occasional wax moth (usually squished quickly) but big and little ants are an issue if feeding syrup in smaller nucs - cinnamon helps some.

[@michaelfike7542]

Great looking dog glad you gave her a great home. 👍❤🐶 The guardian bee entrance is great i use them .

[@joesoutdoorplaces]

Glad to see there is an effective, economical way to deal with beetles.

[@ronfults3844]

There are other methods of SHB control that are cost effective. I think it's best for a person to experiment and see which works best for you.

[@joesoutdoorplaces]

@@ronfults3844 I work hard at keeping my colonies strong. I also put Swiffer sheets in the hives. So far, I do not have any major SHB problems.

[@ronfults3844]

@@joesoutdoorplaces I think the most important thing to do is keep you colonies strong and healthy. Also not give them more space than they can safeguard.

[@leahprieger9186]

@@joesoutdoorplaces im curious about your use of swiffer sheets, do you mind explaining that to me? Thanks 😊

[@joesoutdoorplaces]

@@leahprieger9186 Hi Leah. The SMB legs have spines that get caught easily in the material used to make Swiffer pads. The pads are placed at the top of the frames where bees usually move the beetles. The beetles hide in the Swiffer and get caught. You do lose a few bees as well. But dozens of beetles get caught in the pads and die. They are widely used in my area of Louisiana. Be sure to use the dry pads.

[@bradgoliphant]

Hey Jason, do you believe mice could squeeze through or eat through the Guardian during winter? Would you cover it with wire? What do you do for your entrances with them on it for winter preparations? Thank you my friend. Brad

[@JCsBees]

Hey Brad, Not only do I think mice could chew their way through the Guardian entrance, I can also see the moisture against it freezing and maybe breaking it. That said, I left mine on all winter and it did fine but the safer bet would be to remove it for winter.

[@oneshoo]

Great looking dog Jason! Please put her in all of your videos (when she’s not sleeping)! Enjoy her!

[@JCsBees]

@One Shoo Thanks, we think so too. She is such a hunk of love. I hope to include her in as many videos as possible. May even do so videos on just her as I see there is a lot of people researching American Bully's.

[@hollyj4529]

Ladybug is beautiful! Wishing you many years of love & cuddles with her!

[@jefftuttle7890]

Jason that's an awesome queen. Nice looking nuc .Great job. I have a new hive design that is just for square section comb honey production that uses the Guardian entrance. Lady bug is beautiful. Man you are lucky to have her. You will get unconditional love from her. Nothing like that. Thanks for sharing, stay healthy and God Bless.

[@roshaven7196]

I saw a similar comment about the bottom board not being inspected for beetles (or SHB larvae), but I agree that it’s unlikely to see them there if there are none elsewhere in the hive, especially in the less bee populated acreage up top. Thanks for sharing, just got my first 6 to test at a yard, hoping I can say goodbye to not just the SHBs but all the other stuff I maintain to keep those SOBs under some sort of control… Love that hive tool- got a video on how you came across that? Looks like a custom job, very interesting.

[@eljefe62]

I have found over the years that the HB population in a given area fluctuates quite a lot. In 2021, we had a couple of hives at different locations that, even though strong in numbers, could not get rid of them. In 20222, those same hives were nearly devoid of a single beetle. Who knows what 2023 will bring? In the summer we switch bottom boards out to the West style screen with a covered tray, but instead of filling the tray with oil we use a 1/4" layer of hydrated ag lime and use an old flour sifter to put down a micro layer of DE (diatomaceous earth) on top of the lime. This is very effective at trapping any hatched HB larvae (they must leave the hive to pupate in the soil). They drop from the frames above and through the screen and lattice and are sliced up in the DE and the lime helps kill them by sticking to them and drying them out. We use Beetle Blasters in the upper box, but again, we do not use that messy oil, we fill these with DE beforehand (and wipe down the exterior surface) and when adult HB are chased into them, their soft undersides are susceptible to the DE and they are sliced up. This has been very effective. We also use Swiffer sheets beneath the inner cover, and while there may be some bee loss, it is quite minimal in comparison to what can happen if you allow a full-on infestation. It just so happens that the HB's legs have these little hooks at the end that are their own demise as they get caught in the sheet. Dry sheets run about $10 for 32 so a pretty inexpensive piece, and of course you can find off brands that work just as well. Keeping the area outside of the hive is important too. Leaf litter and any wax (as Jason said) will only provide an invitation to HB. We have a couple of yards that are next to forested areas, so we bring our leaf blower weekly to push the litter back. DE is also effective when cultivated into the soil around the apiary. I have not used the Guardian so I have no firsthand experience to share. What is most important is a complete IPM (Integrated Pest Management) approach to the pests that can bring down a colony. You must hit it from every angle possible with a goal of management, not eradication. If you aim for the former, you will certainly find yourself frustrated and disappointed. Is this product worth the $10 or so? What's your hive worth? I'm willing to try it on a few hives to see if it is a viable addition to our IPM program. Thanks for the videos!

[@JCsBees]

The Guardian did great slow down the SHB entrance but some did get in. It does not stop them completely. I believe that same year I started applying nematodes to the soil around my hives and that's what killed the SHB completely. They did wonders.

[@bottomupbrewz8981]

Ladybug!!!! Welcome, looking forward to seeing you in the upcoming vids, make sure to supervise all bee activities and let everyone know if he’s doing something wrong.

[@iceddevil205]

Sunday morning with breakfast, Jason, and Ladybug.....perfect. Awesome video, Welcome Ladybug!! She's a cutie...saw my first small hive beetle last weekend in a hive i was culling to combine with another hive. Havent seen any since, but where theres one, theres many more....i'll check out the guardian. Again, great video, thanks for the sharing your personal life with us....very heart felt.

[@JCsBees]

Breakfast and videos, huh? That's a nice combination. lol Glad you enjoyed the video and Ladybug, she is such a sweetheart. As for the beetles, you are right, if you see one there is most likely more.

[@jemhobbies]

Ladybug is adorable. Glad you found a dog that is making you happy.

[@ronfults3844]

Curious as to why you would use a double 5 frame nuc over a 10 frame box? Are you beginning to see dearth in your area? I am here in SW Ohio. They are still bringing in a little pollen but not much really. I've never had a big SHB problem here but I've always been proactive about trying to keep them out. (knock on wood) Glad to see the new addition to you family with Ladybug!!

[@JCsBees]

@Ron Fults Since I sell nucs it's just easier to overwinter the bees in the nucs then coe spring I can let them build back up then separate the boxes and add virgin queen to queen-less box. Then I have 2 nucs to sell from one overwintered colony. Yes, starting to see a dearth. I watched 2 colonies washboarding last week and some people believe that washboarding is a sign of a dearth.

[@HomeShowTV]

Ladybug is gorgeous. I am not sure that the breed makeup they quoted you is 100% on the money. But who cares? Both Pit Bulls and Bulldogs are typically over-bred. So any hybrid vigor you can introduce is a good thing in my book. Pick the dog first and the breed second I say.

[@ricksutton2902]

I like you're new family member I couldn't imagine a day without my without my little buddy. Just remember you belong to them

[@julieenslow5915]

Ladybug is GORGEOUS!! She has clearly bonded to you already and claimed you as well. I think you made a fabulous choice. I had not heard about Angus - please accept my condolences - but I think he would be relieved to know he has such a capable stand in - though we all know he can't be replaced. Ladybug will make her own place, no doubt.

[@joer5627]

I’m going to have to try these. In Atl SHB are awful. Nothing really gets rid of them. Willing to try anything that works.

[@JCsBees]

I agree, AHB are awful. Good luck pulling ahead of them.

[@MikeB0001]

Nice to see a new dog to help fill the hole in your heart. My new puppy Pit is named Dolly..I sometimes call her ladybug.👍🏻👍🏻

[@JCsBees]

Thanks and it's awesome to hear you have a pit, they are great dogs. Love that her she is called Ladybug at times too.

[@petermurphy6216]

Hello Jason, I’m glad we don’t have any hive beetles over here in the UK but sure looks like your guardian hive entrance is working and your nuc was looking good thank you for sharing your experiences with us Jason. And say hi to ladybug she is a stunner.

[@mayan9458]

Oh my gosh! Little ladybug 🐞! So cute.

[@peggybair9708]

Question on the guardian entrance and hive ventilation... it’s been so hot! Does closing the hive entrance with the guardian effect hive ventilation and the bees efforts to cool the hive? Welcome ladybug 🐞😍! I’ve got a rescue pit bull also... the sweetest dogs ever!

[@hyfy-tr2jy]

JC...not sure what it is like up in OH...but down here in KY we are hardly seeing any SHB at all this year...so any testing of devices for SHB may not be very telling this year

[@Guitar2Man1963]

Jasson, remind me the name of the person/company you got your tool belt holder from. Thank you!

[@JCsBees]

Kevin McMahon and here is his email if you want to order one [e-mail]

[@stacyedelprete5477]

Congratulations on your new little bug and your lack of bugs I also enjoy the guardians

[@brecar4361]

Very nice addition to the family

[@BlanchardsBees]

I may just have to pick me up some of those.

[@frankbarbee2864]

How would you be able to treat with a Oxalic Acid Vaporizer with those on? Same with the tubes that you used on other hives in earlier videos

[@JCsBees]

I have a 1/4" hole drilled on the back of all my boxes for treating with my vaporizer. When I am not treating the hole is plugged with a golf tee.

[@bobbybighoof]

Box looks good lol Jason forgot his frame hanger "amazing", lol and Jason all dressed up today looking all pro and all with his mann lake hat. Very sorry to hear about your dog family member. lol how did you magically get nice mowed grass? OMG she is a beauty look at that smile lol show you my Bostons on FB later. Hi Ladybug pretty girl. huge thumbs up. you are the best as always

[@beexdad457]

Man opened my hive to find larvae above the inner kid and under the bottom screen. I’ve got an infestation, hope you have some videos to teach a few things

[@MrCatsailor]

When I had to put down my boy Daks (100pd Solid Black German Shepherd) someone told me that no dog will ever replace Daks in your heart but you CAN allow new friends into your life.. They were right . Dogs are great....we don't deserve them...imho

[@curtstivison5610]

Dogs are special friends that are always glad to see you. Lady Bug is going to fit right in.

[@paulschaefer5241]

I remember when you mentioned that your pit bull had passed after 13 years I was surprised at how long he had lived. Most I;ve known have either died or needed to be put down after about 5 years.

[@JCsBees]

At one time we had 2 pit bulls, Angus is the one that just passed. But Ozzy lived to be 12 and got to where he wasn't getting around very well so we had the vet out to put him down. I know other that have had them too and 12-14 years seems to be the lifespan.

[@richardnoel3141]

Lovely video Jason! Your right it’s just a matter of time until we get them!’🤷🏼‍♂️

[@JCsBees]

Thanks Richard! But how did you watch a 23 minute video 9 minutes after being released? I had to call you out, I know you skipped through the video. lol No worries we all do it. 😜😂😂

[@richardnoel3141]

Jason Chrisman I had to skip some of the inspection. I am Just putting on bee escapes so I have a valid excuse!! 🤪

[@JCsBees]

No excuse needed my friend, I understand having work to do. I just appreciate you taking a minute to tune in. I just had to give you a hard time about it though. lol Have a good day buddy!

[@richardnoel3141]

Jason Chrisman it was justified lol 😆

[@mikeygeneral3676]

Oh boy, Richard got caught with his hands in the cookie 🍪 jar 😳😁

[@jamesharman7266]

Thanks for the reminder to video my pups. You've got a good heart. 👍

[@JCsBees]

@James Harman Thanks! Glad I was helpful. It seems life gets busy and we forget what's important like having photos to look back on of things that are important to us.

[@russk3931]

Great addition to the family. Last winter we had some very cold days and that may have lowered the SHB population since Ohio is on the northern range of their area. Get a mild winter like 2018/19 and they exploded. Have fun with your new dog.

[@spudgn]

I will try similar things on my stingless colonies when I get them. SHB is becoming an issue in beekeeping in the Philippines to include stingless beekeeping.

[@joetripp123]

I see that Guardian doesn't recommend a screened bottom board when using this as the beetles will just walk through the screen (depending on screen size). That is important to note. Ladybug is cute! Hope she's doing well. So your frame feeder has me thinking... For a new box I can see them working but if you want to feed an existing box you have to take a frame out. Do you just pick the emptiest frame and store it somewhere safely?

[@JCsBees]

@Tripplet Good to know, I didn't get any instructions with my Guardian. lol Luckily though the hive I put it on has regular window screen which beetles can not fit through. lol Ladybug was surely won our hearts. She a good girl. We have had her around 6 months now and she has yet to do anything bad but she is kinda lazy. lol As far as the frame feeders yes, I just pick the frame with the least amount of resources. If I can find one I just pick a frame. Sometime that extra frame is used for splits.

[@kelitagedifarm4893]

You obviously wasn't having an issue with hive beetles when you shot this video, or else they would have been entering that notched inner cover up top whether you had guardians on or not. I bought and field tested three of the bottom guardians on three of my hives and I found them to be completely ineffective here. My Langstroth boxes are custom made in my shop and are tightly built and put together. There is no other entrance but at the bottom and nothing bigger than a piss ant enters or exits my hives except through the guardian. I keep beetle traps inside my hives 24-7, and change them out weekly during July - August, so I'm very much in touch with how big the beetle problem is here on any given week. I can usually expect to dump as many as 100-300 beetles out of my beetle traps in any one hive here during August, so I'm getting pounded now with them while field testing these guardians. I haven't seen the numbers in beetle traps drop since installing the guardians, so I certainly won't be purchasing anymore. I honestly wish I could report better news from here in the deep south.

[@JCsBees]

@Kelita Gedi Farm Sorry to hear beetles are such a huge issue for you. Also sorry to hear the guardian didn't help. I will be announcing a new way to control hive beetles very soon and I am positive it will help you so make sure to keep following me so you don't miss it.

[@kelitagedifarm4893]

Thanks for your response. I sincerely hope you do come up with an effective way to control hive beetles. This idea of preventing them from ever entering the hive would be wonderful if it actually worked. Through my observations here over the last several days, late in the evenings when a lot of the field force is back home and the hive is really began to fill back up with bees, the bees tend to beard up densely around the entrance, the hive beetles are actually crawling through and over top of the bees like a bridge right on into the opening on the guardian. The bees will grab onto a few of the beetles and take them back off to the ground, but as you well know, that beetle flies back up within seconds to attempt entry again. Several of them keep trying until they make it all the way inside. I may transfer one of these guardians to a weaker hive with less population to see whether that bee bridge would be less of a factor and see if that makes it any harder for the beetle to figure out. Best of luck in your search.......hope you do come up with something significant, effective, and then practical to use.

[@JCsBees]

I think what I will be sharing soon will help you greatly. What's the soil condition in your area? Is it sandy? What I will be sharing kills the larva in the soil but is completely safe for people, bees and pets.

[@kelitagedifarm4893]

I'm about 98% hard red clay here in Alabama where I'm at. With all honesty, my hive beetle problem is not originating from the ground around my hives, but I believe more from early spring swarms that I manage to let escape into the big and old hardwoods that surround me, and I let way too many get away this time. Those bees in the trees can turn into beetle bombs this time of year and they unfortunately spread like wildfire from there. I tried several products on the ground around here and found them to be a waste of time and money. If beetle larva have reached the point of crawling out of my hives onto the ground, then it's usually too late. I need to stop those flying adults from ever entering the hive to start with. The guardian was an excellent way of thinking about it, but failed to reduce beetle numbers for me. These three will end up in that box in the back of the shed will all of the other gadgets I've bought over the years.

[@JCsBees]

Have you tried tubed entrances like I experimented with this year? Another thing is to make sure you aren't leaving a trail to your bee yard, basically make sure you are sealing up all hives tightly, don't leave any comb lay around in bee yard as it will attract beetles.

[@debbieroberts4569]

hi jason i am in north west arkansas and i am a fairley new bee keeper and i have 6 hives i watched your video on the guardian hive entrance all 6 hives have the guardian but 2 hives had screen bottom boards the screened bottom boards had a lot of hive beetles but the other 4 hives had no hive beetles they must have come through the screen bottom board so no more screen bottom boards only solid bottom boards with the guardian entrance it may slow down honey production but i will take that . thanks

[@JCsBees]

@Debbie Roberts How big are the holes in your screened bottom? I believe they are measured by hole per inch. On mine I have regular window screen and hive beetles can NOT fir through the holes. All of my colonies have screened bottoms and I am not having any issues. Glad you pointed this out though and sorry to hear your having beetle issues.

[@SuperAdam1313]

Super great ending, she is a great new buddy

[@waydwnbama-way3089]

Good Morning LadyBug, glad you got you a good home.

[@rudolphdavis2387]

Hey ladybug she looked good.

[@dkeithcollins]

Jason Where did you get the toolkit that is hanging on your hip? Thanks.

[@JCsBees]

That is from Kevin McMahon he makes and sells them. Email him and he will make you one. It's been extremely handy to have for me. Here is his email [e-mail]

[@mikeygeneral3676]

Love the video and how the Queen is working. Question?? Can you just put the guard on a already populated hive or you put it on when you are making new hives? And to Lady- Bug 🐕, it sounds like she now have the Dad she never had.

[@JCsBees]

I don't see any problems adding this entrance to an already populated hive just understand if they have beetles already you will have to take steps to drop their population as the entrance will do no help for that.

[@jtelander]

Thinking about all of the possible routes that SHB can invade a colony. I note that you do not have screened inner covers. Do you have screened bottom boards? I'm wondering if the Guardian entrance will make a difference on colonies with screened tops and bottoms. Congratulations to Lady Bug, she is going to have a great life with you!

[@JCsBees]

@Jeff Telander Yes, I have screened bottoms but I put regular window screen on them to stop beetles from entering there. Worked like a charm!

[@bradgoliphant]

Hey Jason, I plan on putting the Guardian on my hive right from this start this spring? If I leave it on all season, will it plenty of space for them? 4.5" is plenty of space for an entrance isn't it?

[@JCsBees]

@Brad Oliphant Yes the guardian will be fine to use all season long.

[@bradgoliphant]

@@JCsBees thanks Jason. Say hi to Ladybug

[@KingpinRable]

Sending lots of love to the Lady Bug!

[@JCsBees]

She say's, thanks!

[@lkmary1]

Ladybug is so sweet. I can tell you're a good dad.

[@JCsBees]

Thanks and yes she's my sweetheart!

[@stubbshomestead1316]

You missed checking the bottom board, That's where they tend to hide for me.

[@JCsBees]

Great point! I would have to guess there wouldn't be any there either though as I seen none on any of the frames.

[@GEEZBEEZ]

Ladybug looks like a great dog. Looking forward to seeing her in the videos.

[@lee22822]

Welcome to the fam 🐞

[@lagrangebees]

Something odd I have noticed. I've had 3 hives with those gates try to requeen themselves, and 0/3 were successful. I'd like to know, have you had or know someone who had similar circumstances happen? Some feedback on this would be nice. I'm aware its unlikely and there may be a lore more factors at play, like the fact I'm the only beekeeper in my area AFAIK , so it could be a simple lack of drones (I only have 6 hives).

[@dennislintz1]

I caught 2 swarms in May 2020. First year Bee Keeper. I bought the Guardian entrances and I am noticing a fair amount of pollen is in front of the hive. I researched this and found 1 person saying that the bees are selective in the quality of pollen and will discard inferior pollen. Are you aware if this is true or does the Guardian pull the pollen off bees as they enter? Thank you for all your training.

[@JCsBees]

@dennis I I have never heard of bee being picking about pollen, I'd guess the entrance is knocking it off.

[@dennislintz1]

@@JCsBees Thanks for the response.

[@munsonstudios3684]

Bees lose lots of pollen inside the hive as well.

[@louiseibbotson588]

Love the name Ladybug she’s a smasher, great experiments keep them up 👍. No hive beetle here 🇬🇧YET!

[@kirbyharrissrigsby8795]

Love Lady Bug. Thanks for spaying!!

[@kirbyharrissrigsby8795]

You made an excellent choice. All the bullies that we have are good pups. Don’t forget heartworm prevention. And hope your KZbin stuff has gotten back up and going.

[@fgb3126]

at 3:28 no I can't see the queen from THAT distance! LOL. Also blue is not hard to see for me and I'm color blind. Red and green are B-A-D. Blue and yellow are fine.

[@gary5172]

Yes...you have very low numbers. Respectfully, I've tried the Guardian...and it doesn't "keep out" the Beetles-it only slows them down. I experimented with a hive. I glued a bottom board on a Deep hive and used Guerrilla Tape on a solid top lid to seal any cracks. Then with a completely sealed Hive inside a weather proof shed...I cut a hole 1/2 in. wide and 4 in. long into the hive body itself and screw the Guardian over the hole and sealed around the Guardian-thus, the only way in was the Guardian. After Guardian placement had approximately 5 to 10 hive beetles per week an improvement during inspection. Finally, one day I stood at the entrance for an hour and watched the entrance...a hive beetle actually crawled on a pile of bees at the entrance to make its way in. I've tried Beetle Barn and Guardian combinations...now I will add a beetle jail per your recommendation. FYI...my hives are in Georgia. U.S.A....terrible Beetle Problems. I can stand next to my hives and watch them land on my hives.

[@ginawheeler7838]

Hey LadyBug!!

[@lagrangebees]

Hello Jason 🙂 Hoping you can help me understand something. I just came back from an inspection and 2 of my queens were apparently M.I.A. There was enough young brood (but no eggs) to make me think I didn't kill them accidentally (still is a possibility though). I also know that those 2 hives have been trying hard to swarm despite the room they had and my removal of all queen cells I could find. Could the workers have simply decided to off the queen for failing to make a viable swarm cell or is it more likely to be something I did a week ago?

[@JCsBees]

@Lagrange Bees Sorry to hear your having issues. Kinda sounds like you had 2 queens that did not mate very well and basically ran out of eggs to lay. At that point the bees just got rid of them. If this is the case you would need to purchase 2 mated queens or offer frames with eggs so they could raise their own. Understand though that I am assuming you looked for the queen and not just eggs. If you only looked for eggs for a sign of a queen then maybe your in a dearth and the queens simply stopped laying. If that is the case you could try feeding 1:1 syrup and see if that changes anything. Best of luck!

[@beesandtractors]

Also...do you send queens to Texas? If so i wld like to get one the next time i need one!

[@JCsBees]

Yes, I ship to Texas. I can ship up to 5 queens in a $8 shipping box.

[@beesandtractors]

@@JCsBees thanks Jason...i will be getting them from you when i need them

[@scotthenderson4376]

I put them on 3 hives and all three had a good bit of beetles pretty close to the same as the hives without them very disappointed with them

[@1TexasSon]

The guardian stuff is a little pricey for what it is. I’m trying it on a couple hives

[@JCsBees]

Yeah maybe, but when you compare the the Beetle Buster baseboard their cheap. I think the Beetle Buster is $100 a pop. Then you have to weigh the damage they can do to a hive. As long as your selling honey sooner or later the customers will pay for the entrance, right?

[@donnalbackus606]

Love lady bug💕☺️

[@TheBguenth]

Do you recommend going ahead and putting the guardian when the hive is so full of bees? is it ok if they are all piling up at the entrance (almost like they can't get in)? And do I close up the entrance on the inner cover? BTW, how's Ladybug? She's adorable.

[@JCsBees]

If you just install it and the bees are piling up give them some time to figure it out. Usually in a couple days they have it down. Yes, close the inner cover entrance or beetles will enter there. Ladybug is doing great. She is napping on my bed right now. lol

[@keithdevillier1459]

Welcome Lady Bug give her a hug welcome from Keith Devillier southern Louisiana

[@wmrogerware8937]

the only thing i worry about is the plastic degrading over time.

[@Velacreations]

Have your PEX entrances been working to keep them out, too?

[@JCsBees]

@VelaCreations Yes, the pex pipes are working, the only issue I see with them is you need a bunch or the really slow down traffic.

[@Velacreations]

@@JCsBees I'm thinking for mating nucs and small hives, they might be perfect. I want to try something similar with metal thin wall conduit, as I think the sharp edges on conduit won't let the beetles crawl in.

[@jimwaldele9084]

dogs over time become family n im truely sorry for ur lose,,,,as far as ladybug maybe she is drawn to you cause she senses a void around your ora n her heart feels that,, her history has a small void which you show her love n attention thats what the both of ya need,,,maybe thats why ya kept going back to pic,,,, keep up the videos,, hope ur new addition to ur family works out for many years,,

[@madddog7]

yeah, older dogs are the way to go !!!

[@daniellekriner6385]

Lady Bug is the prettiest girl!

[@gordonfrank]

Why the 5 frame deep ?vs 10 frame deep? Do you plan to transfer to 10 frame later?

[@JCsBees]

I like working nucs better than 10 frame colonies. I don't push honey production so it works for me.

[@TheRainHarvester]

Does anyone think a wire landing board would help bees defend from beetles? (I'm thinking the SHB can't hover to enter and would fall through a wire landing board, but bees loaded with nectar could land and get in.) I made a ant proof metal stand from trampoline parts on my channel...I'm learning!

[@jonathanswoboda]

Not true, we dont have them up here in Canada. If they find any the hive gets burnt to prevent them from taking a hold up here.

[@JCsBees]

Did I say Canada had them? I don't recall saying that. Burning a hive due to SHB seems a bit over the top when they are manageable but each to their own.

[@jonathanswoboda]

@@JCsBees Well you said "if you dont have them you will have them soon enough". Many countries including Canada took a hard line on SHB. I personally appreciate the fact I don't have to deal with these pests. They sound manageable but bees have enough issues to deal with dont need SHBs too.

[@terialbright1697]

LOVE Ladybug!!

[@DannyCollinsLithicsAndLeather]

Great video

[@christianshannon3943]

who sells this hive entrance . our local suppliers don't have the item listed ..

[@JCsBees]

Amazon sells them www.amazon.com/s?k=guardian+hive+entrance&crid=3D7BW125STKCC&sprefix=guardian+hive+e%2Ctools%2C155&ref=nb_sb_ss_fb_1_15_ts-doa-p

[@anneniles3156]

you have any mated queens at this point? if so how much?

[@JCsBees]

Sorry, I do not this late in the season.

[@slmronan]

Not such good results for central IN. Strong hive with Guardian entrance installed May 2020. Solid bottom, screened inner cover. Hive is tight, no obvious holes or cracks. Two weeks since last inspection. Today yielded 6 SHM in political sign homemade trap and 9 dead SHB in beetle jail. Few years ago used nematodes from Southeastern Insectaries. Perhaps traps would’ve been loaded had it not been for Guardian.

[@debrakwiley6362]

She’s Beautiful