Aethina tumida (Small hive beetles) were confirmed in the United States, being found in a Florida apiary, in 1998. Prior to that they were only known to exist in sub-Saharan Africa. In America they originally seemed restricted to sandy soil regions, which are ideal for the beetles to successfully complete their life cycle, but unfortunately they can now be found throughout the United State. They also are found in Australia.
Life Cycle – Adult females lay egg masses on or near combs and then a few days later they emerge. The larvae, for the next 10 to 16 days, will consume pollen, wax, honey, bee eggs and bee larvae after which they will then drop to the ground to pupate in the soil. Three to four weeks later they emerge as adults. They are excellent flyers and can easily move into new hives where they deposit eggs and begin the cycle again. They are able to readily take over strong colonies with little resistance from the bees. It only takes a few beetles to produce masses of larvae.
They are most active beginning in spring and continue through fall.
In addition to consuming the resources of the colony, the adult beetles defecate in the honey causing it to ferment and run out of the combs. Even frames full of honey stored in honey houses are vulnerable. When small hive beetle infestations are heavy, even in strong colonies, queens will stop laying eggs and the bees may abscond.
Best preventions:
Maintain strong healthy colonies.
Keep apiaries clean of ALL equipment not in use.
Extract honey as soon as it is removed from colonies
Destroy these beetles as soon as they are detected.
Maintain strong healthy colonies.
Keep apiaries clean of ALL equipment not in use.
Extract honey as soon as it is removed from colonies
Destroy these beetles as soon as they are detected.
(Word Count: 280)
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia Family: Nitidulidae
Phylum: Arthropoda Genus: Aethina
Class: Insecta Species: tumida
Order: Coleoptera
Delaplane, K. (2010). Order coleoptera: family nitidulidae. Unpublished raw data, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. Retrieved from http://maarec.psu.edu/pdfs/Small_Hive_Beetle_-_PMP.pdf
Ellis, J., & Ellis, A. (2010). Featured creatures. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainsville, Florida. Retrieved from http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/bees/small_hive_beetle.htm
