The small hive beetle Aethina tumida: A review of its biology and control measures

Current Zoology

Volumn 59, Issue 5, 2013, Pages 644-653

  Cuthbertson, Andrew G S ^a   Wakefield, Maureen E ^a   Powell, Michelle E ^a   Marris, Gay ^a   Anderson, Helen ^a   Budge, Giles E ^a   Mathers, James J ^a   Blackburn, Lisa F ^a   Brown, Mike A ^a  

^a FOOD AND ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH AGENCY   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Aethina tumida; Biological control; Honey bees; Pesticides; Population development

Indexed keywords

AETHINA TUMIDA; APIS MELLIFERA; APOIDEA; COLEOPTERA;

EID: 84883375112     PISSN: 16745507     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/czoolo/59.5.644     Document Type: Article

References (92)

1. Abdalla EF, 1991. Activity of the slaked lime mixed with cattle manure against the grubs of the rose scarabaeid Tropinota squalida (Scop.) (Scarabaeidae: Coleoptera). Pakistan Journal of Zoology 23: 89-91.
2. Animal Health Australia, 2003. Small Hive Beetle National Mana-gement Plan. Deakin, Australia: Animal Health Australia Council Ltd, 17.
3. Arbogast RT, Torto B, van Engelsdorp D, Teal PE, 2007. An ef-fective bait and trap combination for monitoring the small hive beetle Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). Florida En-tomologist 90: 404-406.
4. Arbogast RT, Torto B, Willms S, Teal PEA, 2009a. Trophic habits of Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae): Their adaptive significance and relevance to dispersal. Environmental Ento-mology 38: 561-568.
5. Arbogast RT, Torto B, Teal PE, 2009b. Monitoring populations of the small hive beetle Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) with baited flight traps: Effect of distance from bee hives and shade on the numbers of beetles captured. Florida Entomolo-gist 92: 165-166.
6. Arbogast RT, Torto B, Willms S, Fombong AT, Duehl A, Teal PE, 2012. Estimating reproductive success of Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) in honey bee colonies by trapping emigrating larvae. Environmental Entomology 41: 152-158.
7. Baxter JR, Elzen PJ, Westervelt D, Causey B, Randall C et al., 1999. Control of the small hive beetle Aethina tumida in package bees. American Bee Journal 139: 792-793.
8. Benda ND, Boucias DG, Torto B, Teal PEA, 2008. Detection and characterization of Kodamaea ohmeri associated with small hive beetle Aethina tumida infesting honey bee hives. Journal of Apicultural Research 47: 194-201.
9. Boucias DG, Pendland JC, 1998. Principles of Insect Pathology. Kluwer, Boston.
10. Brown M, Morton J, 2003. The Small Hive Beetle: A Serious Threat to European Apiculture. Defra, UK. Horticulture and Potatoes Division.
11. Buchholz S, Merkel K, Spiewok S, Pettis JS, Duncan M et al., 2009. Alternative control of Aethina tumida Murray (Coleop-tera: Nitidulidae) with lime and diatomaceous earth. Apidolo-gie 40: 535-548
12. Buchholz S, Merkel K, Spiewok S, Imdorf A, Pettis JS et al., 2011. Organic acids and thymol: Unsuitable for alternative control of Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae)? Apidologie 42: 349-363
13. Cabanillas HE, 2003. Susceptibility of the boll weevil to Stein-ernema riobrave and other entomopathogenic nematodes. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 82: 188-197.
14. Cabanillas HE, Elzen PJ, 2006. Infectivity of entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae) against the small hive beetle Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). Journal of Apicultural Research 45: 49-50.
15. Cassey P, Blackburn TM, Duncan RP, Chown SL, 2005. Con-cerning invasive species: Reply to Brown and Sax. Australian Ecologist 30: 475-480.
16. Clay H, 2006. Small hive beetle in Canada. Hivelights 19: 14-16.
17. Chandler D, Sunderland KD, Ball BV, Davidson G, 2000. Pro-spective biological control agents of Varroa destructor n.sp., an important pest of the European honeybee Apis mellifera. Biocontrol Science and Technology 11: 429-448.
18. Cuthbertson AGS, Blackburn LF, Northing P, Luo W, Cannon RJC et al., 2008b. Further compatibility tests of the entomo-pathogenic fungus Lecanicillium muscarium with conventional insecticide products for control of sweetpotato whitefly, Be-misia tabaci on poinsettia plants. Insect Science 15: 355-360.
19. Cuthbertson AGS, Brown MA, 2009. Issues affecting British honey bee biodiversity and the need for conservation of this important ecological component. International Journal of En-vironmental Science and Technology 6: 695-699.
20. Cuthbertson AGS, Head J, Walters KFA, Gregory SA, 2003. The efficacy of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema feltiae against instars of Bemisia tabaci. Journal of Inverte-brate Pathology 83: 267-269.
21. Cuthbertson AGS, Mathers JJ, Blackburn LF, Marris G, 2013. Life cycle of the small hive beetle Aethina tumida. Bee Craft 95: 32-33.
22. Cuthbertson AGS, Mathers JJ, Northing P, Luo W, Walters KFA, 2007. The susceptibility of immature stages of Bemisia tabaci to infection by the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae. Russian Journal of Nematology 15: 153-156.
23. Cuthbertson AGS, Mathers JJ, Blackburn LF, Wakefield ME, Collins LE et al., 2008a. Maintaining Aethina tumida (Col-eoptera: Nitidulidae) under quarantine laboratory conditions in the UK and preliminary observations on its behaviour. Journal of Apicultural Research 47: 192-193.
24. Cuthbertson AGS, Mathers JJ, Blackburn LF, Brown MA, Marris G, 2010. Small hive beetle: The next threat to British honey bees? Biologist 57: 35-39.
25. Cuthbertson AGS, Mathers JJ, Blackburn LF, Powell ME, Marris G et al., 2012. Screening commercially available entomopa-thogenic biocontrol agents for the control of Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) in the UK. Insects 3: 719-726.
26. Cuthbertson AGS, North JP, Walters KFA, 2005. Effect of tem-perature and host plant leaf morphology on the efficacy of two entomopathogenic biocontrol agents of Thrips palmi (Thy-sanoptera: Thripidae). Bulletin of Entomological Research 95: 321-327.
27. Cuthbertson AGS, Walters KFA, 2005. Pathogenicity of the en-tomopathogenic fungus Lecanicillium muscarium against the sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci under laboratory and glasshouse conditions. Mycopathologia 160: 315-319.
28. Dadd RH, 1985. Nutrition: Organisms. In: Kerkut GA, Gilbert LI ed. Comprehensive Insect Physiology, Biochemistry and Phar-macology. Vol. 4. Oxford, UK: Permagon, 322-431.
29. Delaplane KS, 1998. The small hive beetle Aethina tumida in the southeast. American Bee Journal 138: 884-885.
30. De Guzman LI, Frake AM, 2007. Temperature affects Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) development. Journal of Apicultural Research 46: 88-93.
31. De Guzman LI, Prudente JA, Rinderer TE, Frake AM, Tubbs H, 2009. Population of small hive beetles (Aethina tumida Murray) in two apiaries having different soil textures in Mis-sissippi. Science of Bee Culture 1: 4-8.
32. De Guzman LI, Frake AM, Rinderer TE, Arbogast RT, 2011. Ef-fect of height and colour on the efficiency of pole traps for Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). Journal of Eco-nomic Entomology 104: 26-31.
33. Eischen FA, Westervel TD, Randall C, 1999. Does the small hive beetle have alternate food sources? Bee Culture 139: 129.
34. Ellis JD, 2002. Food for Thought: How diet affects small hive beetles. American Bee Journal 142: 515-517.
35. Ellis JD, 2004. The ecology and control of small hive beetle (Aethina tumida Murray). PhD dissertation, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
36. Ellis JD, Hepburn HR, 2006. An ecological digest of the small hive beetle Aethina tumida, a symbiont in honey bee colonies Apis mellifera. Insectes Sociaux 53: 8-19.
37. Ellis JD, Neumann P, Hepburn R, Elzen PJ, 2002. Longevity and reproductive success of Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitiduli-dae) fed different natural diets. Journal of Economic Ento-mology 95: 902-907.
38. Ellis JD, Hepburn HR, Delaplane KS, Neumann P, Elzen PJ, 2003a. The effects of adult small hive beetles Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), on nests and flight activity of Cape and European honey bees Apis mellifera. Apidologie 34: 399- 408.
39. Ellis JD, Richards CS, Hepburn HR, Elzen PJ 2003b. Oviposition by small hive beetles elicits hygienic responses from Cape honeybees. Naturwissenschafen 90: 532-535.
40. Ellis JD, Delaplane KS, Richards CS, Hepburn R, Berry JA et al., 2004a. Hygenic behaviour of Cape and European Apis mel-lifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) toward Aethina tumida (Col-eoptera: Nitidulidae) eggs oviposited in sealed brood cells. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 97: 860-864.
41. Ellis JD, Hepburn HR, Luckmann B, Elzen PJ, 2004b. Effects of soil type, moisture and density on pupation success of Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). Environmental Entomology 33: 794-798.
42. Ellis JD, Rong IH, Hill MP, Hepburn HR, Elzen PJ, 2004c. The susceptibility of small hive beetle (Aethina tumida Murray) pupae to fungal pathogens. American Bee Journal 144: 486- 488.
43. Ellis JD, Spiewok S, Delaplane KS, Buchholz S, Neumann P et al., 2010. Susceptibility of Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitiduli-dae) larvae and pupae to entomopathogenic nematodes. Jour-nal of Economic Entomology 103: 1-9.
44. Elzen PJ, Westervelt D, 2002. Detection of coumaphos resistance in Varroa destructor in Florida. American Bee Journal 142: 291-292.
45. Elzen PJ, Batxer JR, Westervelt D, Ivera R, Cutts L et al., 1998. Small hive beetle control: USDA initial lab study results. Bee Culture 10: 19-20.
46. Elzen PJ, Baxter JR, Westervelt D, Randall C, Delaplane KS et al., 1999a. Field control and biology studies of a new pest species Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae), attacking European honeybees in Western Hemisphere. Apidologie 30: 361-366.
47. Elzen PJ, Baxter JR, Westervelt D, Randall CKS, Cutts L et al., 1999b. Status of the small hive beetle in the US. Bee Culture 127: 28-29.
48. Elzen PJ, Baxter JR, Westervelt D, Randall C, Wilson WT, 2000. A scientific note on observations of the small hive beetle Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae) in Florida, USA. Apidologie 31: 593-594.
49. Fore T, 1999. The small hive beetle. Bee Biz 9: 3-4.
50. García-Fernández P, Santiago-Álvarez C, Quesada-Moraga E, 2008. Pathogenicity and thermal biology of mitosporic fungi as potential microbial control agents of Varroa destructor (Acari: Mesostigmata), an ectoparasite mite of honey bee Apis mellifera (Hymeoptera: Apidae). Apidologie 39: 662-673
51. Hassan AR, Neumann P, 2008. A survey for the small hive beetle in Egypt. Journal of Apicultural Research 47: 185-186.
52. Hoffmann D, Pettis J, Neumann P, 2008. Potential host shift of the small hive beetle Aethina tumida to bumblebee colonies Bom-bus impatiens. Insectes Sociaux 55: 153-162.
53. Hood WM, 1999. Clemson University Entomology Information Series. Clemson, South Carolina: Clemson University.
54. Hood WM, 2000. Overview of the small hive bettle Aethina tu-mida in North America. Bee World 81: 129-137.
55. Hood WM, 2004. The small hive beetle Aethina tumida: A review. Bee World 85: 51-59.
56. Hood WA, Miller GA, 2003. Trapping small hive beetles (Col-eoptera: Nitidulidae) inside colonies of honey bees (Hymen-optera: Apidae). American Bee Journal 143: 405-409.
57. Kanga LHB, Somorin AB, 2012. Susceptibility of the small hive beetle Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) to insecticides and insect growth regulators. Apidologie 43: 95-102.
58. Kendrick B, 1992. The Fifth Kingdom. Newburyport, MA: Focus Information Group Inc.
59. Lacey LA, Frutos HK, Vail P, 2001. Insect pathogens as biological control agents: Do they have a future? Biological Control 21: 230-248.
60. Levot G, 2008. Feasibility of in-hive control of adult small hive beetles Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) with an insecticide treated refuge trap. General and Applied Ento-mology 37: 21-25.
61. Meikle WG, Patt JM, 2011. The effects of temperature, diet, and other factors on development, survivorship, and oviposition of Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). Journal of Eco-nomic Entomology 104: 753-763.
62. Meikle WG, Mercadier G, Holst N, Girod V, 2008. Impact of two treatments of a formulation of Beauveria bassiana (Deutero-mycota: Hyphomycetes) conidia on Varroa mites (Acari: Var-roidae) and on honeybee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colony health. Experimental and Applied Acarology 46: 105-117.
63. Mostafa AM, Williams RN, 2002. New record of the small hive beetle in Egypt and notes on its distribution and control. Bee World 83: 99-108.
64. Mürrle T, Neumann P, 2004. Mass production of small hive bee- tles (Aethina tumida, Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). Journal of Apicultural Research 43: 144-145.
65. Muerrle TM, Neumann P, Dames JF, Hepburn HR, Hill MP, 2006. Susceptibility of adult Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) to entomopathogenic fungi. Journal of Economic Entomology 99: 1-6.
66. Murilhas A, 2005. EurBee Newsletter No. 2. 2005, 1pp.
67. Neumann P, Elzen P, 2004. The biology of the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida Murray, Coleoptera: Nitidulidae): Gaps in our knowledge of an invasive species. Apidologie 35: 229-247.
68. Neumann P, Hoffmann D, 2008. Small hive beetle diagnosis and control in naturally infested honey bee colonies using bottom board traps and CheckMite + Strips. Journal of Pest Science 81: 43-48.
69. Neumann P, Pirk CWW, Hepburn R, Elzen PJ, Baxter JR, 2001. Laboratory rearing of small hive beetles Aethina tumida (Col-eoptera, Nitidulidae). Journal of Apicultural Research 40: 111- 112.
70. North JP, Cuthbertson AGS, Walters KFA, 2006. The efficacy of two entomopathogenic biocontrol agents against adult Thrips palmi (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Journal of Invertebrate Pa-thology 92: 77-80.
71. Park AL, Pettis JS, Carbon DM, 2002. Use of household products in control of small hive beetle larvae and salvage of treated combs. American Bee Journal 142: 439-442.
72. Pettis JS, Shimanuki H, 2000. Observations on the small hive beetle Aethina tumida Murray in the United States. American Bee Journal 140: 152-155.
73. Sanford T, Flottum K, Arthur B, 1999. Focus on Bayer bee strip: The newest weapon in beekeeping's arsenal against Varroa also controls the small hive beetle. Bee Culture 3: 32-35.
74. Schäfer MO, Ritter W, Pettis JS, Teal PEA, Neumann P, 2009. Effects of organic acid treatments on small hive beetles Aethina tumida and the associated yeast Kodamaea ohmeri. Journal of Pest Science 82: 283-287.
75. Smith RM, Cuthbertson AGS, Walters KFA, 2005. Extrapolating the use of an entomopathogenic nematode and fungus as con-trol agents for Frankliniella occidentalis to Thrips palmi. Phytoparasitica 33: 436-440.
76. Spiewok S, Neumann P, 2006a. The impact of queenloss and colony phenotypes on the removal of small hive beetle (Aethina tumida Murray) eggs and larvae by African honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera capensis Esch.). Journal of Insect Be-haviour 19: 601-611.
77. Spiewok S, Neumann P, 2006b. Infestation of commercial bum-blebee Bombus impatians field colonies by small hive beetles Aethina tumida. Ecological Entomology 31: 623-628.
78. Spiewok S, Neumann P, Hepburn HR, 2006. Preparation for dis-turbance-induced absconding of Cape honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera capensis Esch.). Insectes Sociaux 53: 27-31.
79. Spiewok S, Pettis JS, Duncan M, Spooner-Hart R, Westervelt D et al., 2007. Small hive beetle Aethina tumida populations I: In-festation levels of honey bee colonies, apiaries and regions. Apidologie 38: 595-605.
80. Suazo A, Torto B, Teal PE, Tumlinson JH, 2003. Response of the small hive beetle Aethina tumida to honey bee Apis mellifera and beehive-produced volatiles. Apidologie 34: 525-533.
81. Taber S, 1999. The small hive beetle, as described by A.E. Lundie in 1940. American Bee Journal 139: 450-451.
82. Teal PEA, Torto B, Boucias D, Tumlinson JH, 2006. In-hive trap and attractant composition for control of the small hive beetle Aethina tumida. US Patent: 20060141904.
83. Thomas MC, 1998. Florida pest alert: The small hive beetle. American Bee Journal 138: 565.
84. Torto B, Suazo A, Alborn H, Tumlinson JH, Teal PEA, 2005. Response of the small hive beetle Aethina tumida to a blend of chemicals identified from honey bee Apis mellifera volatiles. Apidologie 36: 523-532.
85. Torto B, Arbogast RT, Alborn H, Suazo A, Van Englesdorp D et al., 2007. Composition of volatiles from fermenting pollen dough and attractiveness to the small hive beetle Aethina tu-mida, a parasite of the honey bee Apis mellifera. Apidologie 38: 380-389.
86. Torto B, Fombong AT, Arbogast RT, Teal PE, 2010. Monitoring Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) with baited bottom board traps: Occurrence and seasonal abundance in honey bee colonies in Kenya. Environmental Entomology 39: 1731- 1736.
87. Vega FE, Dowd PF, Nelsen TC, 1994. Susceptibility of dried fruit beetles (Carpophilus hemipterus L.; Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) to different Steinernema species (Nematoda: Rhabditida: Stei-nernematidae). Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 64: 276-277.
88. Vittum PJ, 1984. Effect of lime applications on Japanese beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) grub populations in Massachusetts. Journal of Economic Entomology 77: 687-690.
89. Vittum PJ, 1985. Effect of liming on subsequent applications of isofenphos for control of Japanese beetle (Coleoptera: Scara-baeidae) grubs in turf. Journal of Economic Entomology 78: 898-901.
90. Waite R, Brown M, 2003. The small hive beetle. Bee Craft, Janu-ary: 4-5.
91. Watson DW, Denning SS, Zurek L, Stringham SM, Elliot J, 2003. Effects of lime hydrate on the growth and development of dar-kling beetle Alphitobius diaperinus. International Journal of Poultry Science 2: 91-96.
92. White B, 2003. Small hive beetle update. Australian Beekeeper 11: 2