Small Hive Beetle Adults Small Hive Beetle larvae in the "slime" stage Small Hive Beetle larvae in the pre-pupal stage
Small Hive Beetle Adults
Small Hive Beetle larvae in the "slime" stage
Small Hive Beetle larvae in the pre-pupal stage
Small hive beetles (SHB), Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae), were first detected in the United States in 1996. Although they are relatively harmless pests in their native South Africa, they have become serious pests of honey bees, especially in the southeastern region of the United States.
Life CycleThe life cycle of SHB goes through different stages: eggs, larva, pupa and adult. Temperature significantly influences their developmental period; higher temperatures shorten development to about 23 days, and cooler temperatures extend their development to about 39 days. Infestations peak during late-summer months through the fall season when most beetles are emerging from the soil. This increase in adult population is usually a result of massive infestations and reproduction from honey bee colonies destroyed by SHB during the summer months.
Females mate several times with different males. Reproduction also depends on temperature. An adult female mated with one male can lay an average of 165 eggs per day at room temperature. Egg-laying increases at higher temperature.
Ten Best Management Practices
1. Keep colonies strong. Do not stack infested supers onto strong colonies. Freeze lightly infested combs before re-using them and burn heavily infested ones.
2. Maintain queen right colonies only. Do not allow queenless colonies to become weak or turn into drone layers. Queenlessness will attract beetles, and the presence of a small amount of brood and also pollen encourage beetles to reproduce. Combine colonies if necessary
3. Do not add supers or put brood on top supers if bees cannot take care of them. Similarly, avoid putting brood frames against the wall and avoid squeezing brood against the wall of the box or adjacent frames. Empty frames can serve as hiding places for SHB while unattended, and squeezed brood will attract beetles and stimulate reproduction.
4. Remove burr combs and propolis (corals) since they can also serve as hiding places for adult beetles. Their removal will expose SHB to the aggressive behavior of bees.
5. Remove dead colonies as soon as possible. Prompt action will prevent larvae from reaching the matured stage (wandering phase), minimizing the number of larvae that leave the hive to pupate in the soil.
6. Place colonies under the sun. Research has showed that out-hive traps positioned in a shaded part of an apiary trapped more beetles than those exposed to the sun.
7. When feeding colonies with pollen supplement, provide just enough patties to be consumed in two days. Excessive amounts will support SHB reproduction and allow larvae to develop and mature.
8. Keep in-hive feeders and bottom boards clean. Dead bees in feeders, and pollen and dead bees on bottom boards, can serve as sources of protein, which stimulates SHB reproduction.
9. Keep honey houses neat and clean. Store frames with pollen and brood in a freezer since these two are the main sources of protein that stimulate reproduction.
10. Extract honey within 2-3 days before massive hatching of eggs occurs. Return wet supers immediately. If done within 4 days (or before larvae reach wandering phase), allow wet supers to be robbed out by bees before putting them onto colonies or storing them. Melt all wax cappings as soon as possible.
Through Section 18, Checkmite+ can be used to regulate SHB populations inside the colonies. It is formulated using the active ingredient coumaphos (10%), an organophosphate pesticide impregnated in a plastic strip. Staple strips onto a piece of cardboard (q) or corrugated black plastic (r), and put it on the bottom board of the colony. Be sure that honey supers are removed before applying this material.
Another control measure is drenching the soil with GardStar (s) to kill developing pupae. It should be applied by low-pressure spray equipment or sprinkler can. Both chemicals should be used appropriately and according to label directions. Misuse of them may result in the contamination of honey and beeswax.
Lilia I. de Guzman, Amanda M. Frake and Thomas E. Rinderer
Dale K. Pollet
Louisiana State University Agricultural Center
Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station
Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service
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