Field Control and biology studies of a new pest species, Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae), attacking European honey bees in the Western Hemisphere

Abstract

The small hive beetle, Aethina tumida Murray, is a nitidulid species newly recorded attacking honey bees in the Western Hemisphere. We initiated field and laboratory tests on the control and biology of this new pest. Very high mortality of adult and larval A. tumida in Florida and Georgia hives resulted from field tests using 10 % coumaphos in plastic strips in trapping devices on the hive bottom: as high as 90.2 % beetle mortality occurred in hives in Florida. Adult beetles were found in the laboratory to feed on honey bee eggs, completely consuming all eggs, even in the presence of honey and pollen. Odors from hive products plus adult bees were found to be significantly attractive to flying adult beetles, as evidenced in baited trap studies. Hive products alone or bees alone were not attractive to adult A. tumida. © Inra/DIB/AGIB/Elsevier, Paris.