We don't have SHB here in the UK yet, but with all bee diseases it just seems to be a matter of time.
I have read that the larval stage of SHB requires some time in the soil to pupate, and that the larvae crawl out of the hive to burrow in the soil beneath. Could we break this aspect of the life cycle by integrating hens to our apiaries? I'm thinking that we could use elevated stands so that hens have
enough room to forage and scratch underneath.
Top bar hives would be ideal for this as they already have decent stands and access for hens underneath.
Anyone tried integrating hens and
bees in this way?