Euthanizing a Honey Bee Hive - Colorado Backyard Beekeeping

There are times as beekeepers that we can no longer risk trying to manage a particularly aggressive hive or continue to deal with a sickness that can not be amended like American Foulbrood.

Beehives can become aggressive for a number of reason.

1. Queen failure or death

2. Dearth or dramatic reduction in resources

3. Predator's bothering the hive like ants or skunks

4. Overload of mites or hive beetles

The list can go on.....

But when you have a hive in your backyards that is now hunting you, neighbors and animals down, it is time to consider euthanizing the hive.

Safety becomes top priority !

GOALS:

1. Minimizing suffering of bees.

2. Safety of a beekeeper.

3. Phycological protection of the beekeeper.

4. Practicality of a method.

Below is a small portion of information from

Journal of Apicultural Research

Volume 62, 2023 -Issue 1: Special issue: Review Articles on Different Topics in Apidology.

Editors: Panuwan Chantawannakul, Robert Brodschneider, Otilia Bobis, Melanie Parejo, and Maria Bouga

Euthanasia carried out during the course of disease control (an outbreak of American foulbrood of honey bees or occurrence of an exotic pest) or protection of public health (presence of Africanized honey bees in certain areas, or control of managed or feral honey bee population in urban areas).

The killing of healthy animals under such circumstances, while unpleasant and morally challenging is a practical necessity.

In evaluating methods of euthanasia, the AVMA Panel of Euthanasia (AVMA, 2020) considered the following criteria:

(1) ability to induce loss of consciousness and death with a minimum of pain and distress;

(2) time required to induce loss of consciousness;

(3) reliability;

(4) safety of personnel;

(5) irreversibility;

(6) compatibility with intended animal use and purpose;

(7) documented emotional effect on observers or operators;

(8) compatibility with subsequent evaluation, examination, or use of tissue;

(9) drug availability and human abuse potential;

(10) compatibility with species, age, and health status;

(11) ability to maintain equipment in proper working order;

(12) safety for predators or scavengers should the animal’s remains be consumed;

(13) legal requirements; and

(14) environmental impacts of the method or disposal of the animal’s remains.

Available tools for euthanatizing honey bees in the field:

The beekeeping literature refers to colony killing as a tool for American foulbrood outbreak management (Agriculture Victoria, Citation2016; Crane, Citation1990; Ritter, Citation1996, Citation2012).

Some substances, e.g. ethyl acetate, calcium cyanide, and sodium cyanide were once used for this purpose but later abandoned or no longer recommended due to their toxicity to users.

Preference was given to petrol (Goodwin & Van Eaton, Citation1999; Somerville, Citation2012), diesel, pyrethroids, and potassium nitrate (Sames et al., Citation1991).

Furthermore, since comb destruction increases the cost of eradicating honey bee pests, less destructive methods were explored, such as pyrethrum as powder or detergent and water (Sames et al., Citation1991) poured into plastic bags in which the hives were sealed off to let the active ingredients accomplish their effect.

Here we consider some substances intended for euthanasizing honey bees, taking into account both their fitness for purpose and safety for users and any impact on the environment.

Sulphur dioxide

Sulphur dioxide (SO₂) is a colourless gas with a pungent odour, very toxic by inhalation, and may irritate the eyes and mucous membranes (PubChem, Citation2020). In humans, its inhalation is associated with increased respiratory symptoms and disease, bronchoconstriction, difficulty in breathing, and premature death (EPA, Citation2020). The method for sulphuring bees is described in a number of antique beekeeping books, including The Feminine Monarchy (Butler, Citation1623) in which he wrote, “Some two or three hours before sunset, dig a hole in the ground – about eight or nine inches deep, and almost as wide as the hive skirts, laying the small earth around the brims. When you have lit [the sulphur match] set over the hive, and immediately shut it tightly at the skirts so none of the smoke may come forth. So shall you have the bees dead and down in less than quarter of an hour.”

Sulphur dioxide is chosen for its rapidity of action and relative toxicity compared to other active ingredients used in the past. It is important to seal the hive tightly to prevent fumes leakage (and honey bees escape) before starting to apply sulphur dioxide. This guarantees proper circulation of fumes between the frames and the lid quickly saturating the hive environment that becomes anoxic and unfit for honey bee survival.

Sulphur dioxide can be applied in the form of tablets, commonly used as an additive in oenology at different stages of wine production, primarily to inhibit enzymatic oxidation (Zironi et al., Citation2009). After sealing the hive, sulphur dioxide tablets are placed at the bottom of the hive and lighted to produce fumes that kill honey bees very rapidly. However, when killing a higher number of colonies, it is recommended to switch to a sulphur dioxide cylinder whose application is however limited to certified professionals. This is the easiest and fastest procedure for killing several bee colonies in an apiary. To date, sulphur dioxide has not been included in Regulation (EU) No. 528/2012 concerning the making available on the market and the use of biocidal products (EU, Citation2012). Hence, it is commonly used but not officially recognized for this purpose.

Unleaded petrol, diesel

Unleaded petrol and diesel are both petroleum-derived flammable liquids used primarily as a fuel in most internal combustion engines. Petrol engines are spark-ignited whereas fuel ignition in diesel engines takes place without any spark, as a result of compression of the inlet air mixture and then injection of fuel (Gold, Citation2019). Regulation (EU) No. 528/2012 considers neither unleaded petrol nor diesel. Accordingly, diesel is characterized by a lower flammability risk and thus preferred to accomplish the task described below. Petrol is toxic by ingestion, inhalation of vapours, skin contact, and eye contact (United Petroleum PTY Ltd, Citation2017). Diesel is not considered particularly toxic. Acute or short-term exposure can cause irritation to the eyes, skin, or respiratory tract (Q8 Quaser s.r.l., Citation2019).

Once the hive entrance has been closed, the lid of the colony is removed and unleaded petrol or diesel fuel is applied to a cloth placed under the hive lid or directly onto the frames in the top box. The chambers may need to be split and diesel added also to the lower chamber. The colony is closed by replacing the lid firmly onto the hive for a minimum of 10 minutes to prevent the bees from escaping. It may take 5–15 minutes before all bees are dead (Agriculture Victoria, Citation2016). It is important to remember that diesel is introduced into the hive to kill the bees, not as a fire accelerant. There is sufficient wax in the combs to fuel a fire when it is time to destroy the beehives. The volume of fuel used will depend on the size of the cluster to be killed, i.e. 125–250 ml petrol per hive (Agriculture Victoria, Citation2016), or 300–500 ml for one-two storeys, or one litre of diesel fuel for a three-four-storey hive (Goodwin & Van Eaton, Citation1999; Neumann & Hoffman, Citation2008; OMAFRA, Citation2020). It must be ascertained that all the adult bees have been immobilized. If additional treatment is needed, the procedure should be repeated with sufficient diesel fuel to wet the remaining adult bees. Diesel vapours kill bees very quickly, posing less problems than petrol. All frames and combs exposed to petrol and diesel must be burnt and buried following treatment. Caution should be taken when frames and combs exposed to petrol are then exposed to flame. Beeswax and honey exposed to petrol must not be distributed for human or animal consumption.

70% Isopropyl alcohol

Pouring 70% isopropyl alcohol (500 ml) in a sealed beehive provides a quick and relatively merciful end for a colony that must be destroyed. At dawn put an upturned outer cover on the ground, gently lift the colony off its bottom board, and place it in the outer cover. This sealed the bottom of the hive. Gently remove the cover, and quickly replace it with a bee-proof screen, preventing any bees from flying away. Pour 70% isopropyl alcohol abundantly down each seam of bees, between the frames. Place an outer cover on the screened box of honey bees, sealing the top and making escape impossible (Westernwilson, Citation2020).

Dry ice

Dry ice is the solid form (pellet) of carbon dioxide (CO₂).

It is colorless, non-flammable, and used primarily as a cooling agent. Dry ice sublimates at −78.5 °C. This extreme cold makes the solid dangerous due to freezing-related burns (frostbite) and special handling with protection is needed (TOMCO2 Systems, Citation2015). Regulation (EU) No. 528/2012 does not consider dry ice. Dry ice was reported to have been used at a dosage of 40 l per colony in Ontario, Canada, but it is now no longer listed (OMAFRA, Citation2020).

Soapy water

Any soap or dishwashing detergent solution (one part dishwashing liquid to four parts water) poured or sprayed on the colony is considered an effective means of killing honey bees (Burlew, Citation2012; Merchant, Citation2020). Soap can kill bees and other insects because it is a surfactant, i.e. a substance which, when added to a liquid, reduces its surface tension, thereby increasing its spreading and wetting properties. The wax on the outside of an insect cannot normally be penetrated by water. This solution allows large quantities of water to enter the bees’ bodies and kill them (Burlew,Citation2012; Merchant, Citation2020).Soapy water is not considered by Regulation (EU) No. 528/2012.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00218839.2021.1895569?scroll=top&needAccess=true#d1e358

You need to find a method that is quick, cost effective and accessible for you to obtain or have on hand.

My person recommendations:

• Take off the outer top lid, apply duct tape over the hole on the inner cover to close off the top and tape down the top inner lid.

• This is now your coverage. 

• If they are too aggressive to do this, you don't need to. I am saving the top outer lid from being saturated by soapy water, which will make it easier for you to soap them in the next steps. 

• Wait until it is night time and seal off the front entrance very well. You are creating a dam so the soapy water will remain contained. 

• Get extra-large, heavy-duty garden trash bags. 

• Double line the trash bags by placing one inside the other for extra thickness. 

• Place the hive in a trash bag and close the bag. 

• Make your soapy water solution using warm water at a 1:1 ratio. 

• The thicker the better! 

• Dollar store soap works well; you will need a fair bit of liquid dish soap to cover the entire hive thoroughly. 

• Thank them for their service :)

• Open the trash bag top and remove the duct tape on the top inner cover. 

• Start pouring the soapy water into the top and don't stop until the hive and bag are full of soapy water. 

• Once there is no noise, I consider them expired. 

• Drain the trash bags. 

• You can decide whether to keep the equipment. Or place the entire bag into the trash can or burn it. 

Please reach out with any questions.

Bee well :)

Shelli