Quo vadis Aethina tumida? Biology and control of small hive beetles

Abstract

Small hive beetles (SHBs) are generalists native to sub-Saharan Africa and reproduce in association with honeybees, bumblebees, stingless bees, fruits and meat. The SHB has recently become an invasive species, and introductions have been recorded from America, Australia, Europe and Asia since 1996. While SHBs are usually considered a minor pest in Africa, they can cause significant damage to social bee colonies in their new ranges. Potential reasons for differential impact include differences in bee behaviour, climate and release from natural enemies. Here, we provide an overview on biology, distribution, pest status, diagnosis, control and prevention to foster adequate mitigation and stimulate future research. SHBs have become a global threat to both apiculture and wild bee populations, but our knowledge of this pest is still limited, creating demand for more research in all areas of its biology. Apis mellifera / Aethina tumida / bees / invasive species / small hive beetle

Predicting Spatial Distribution of Key Honeybee Pests in Kenya Using Remotely Sensed and Bioclimatic Variables: Key Honeybee Pests Distribution Models

“…Although a number of studies have elucidated the effects of various biological, climatic, vegetation and edaphic factors on some honeybee pests, such as small hive beetles [21] and large hive beetles [7,8], the contribution of vegetation phenology and bioclimatic interactions on their distribution and abundance in Kenya remains minimally exploited. Therefore, mapping the spatial distribution of the honeybee pests is valuable for risk assessment and zonation of honeybee pest risk areas to establish containment zones and pathways of source transmission.…”

Differences in absconding between African and European honeybee subspecies facilitate invasion success of small hive beetles

“…SHB has recently become an invasive species and introductions have been recorded from America, Australia, Europe and Asia since 1996 (Neumann et al 2016). While SHBs are usually a minor pest in their endemic range (Lundie 1940;Pirk and Yusuf 2017), they can cause considerable damage to honeybee colonies in their new ranges (Neumann and Elzen 2004;Neumann et al 2016;Spooner-Hart et al 2017). Since damage to honeybee colonies is associated with higher SHB infestations levels (Spiewok et al 2007), an apparent key question is why reproduction is more successful in the new SHB ranges compared to Africa.…”

“…Mass reproduction (Neumann and Elzen 2004) by SHBs can result in the full structural collapse of strong colonies within 1 week ) and can only be observed when colony defence fails or is absent (Neumann et al 2016). Therefore, an apparent option for SHB reproduction is associated with afterabsconding events (Hepburn et al 1999), when colony defence is obviously absent.…”

“…Therefore, an apparent option for SHB reproduction is associated with afterabsconding events (Hepburn et al 1999), when colony defence is obviously absent. Both African and European honeybee colonies respond to heavy SHB infestations by absconding (Hepburn and Radloff 1998;Ellis et al 2003a;Villa 2004;Neumann et al 2016). Since African honeybee subspecies are more efficient in preparations for absconding (Spiewok et al 2006) compared to European ones (Hepburn and Radloff 1998;Hepburn 2006), abandoned nests of the former may leave fewer resources behind for SHB reproduction.…”

“…Moreover, ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are known to be natural enemies of SHB (e.g. Pheidole megacephala in Kenya; Torto et al 2010) and are also likely to be SHB competitors (Neumann et al 2016), because they can forage in abandoned honeybee hives, thereby limiting SHB access to protein resources. In general, the frequency and magnitude of SHB reproduction in abandoned honeybee nests and the impact of competitors such as GWM and ants in particular have never been quantified.…”