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Plant Protection - Small Hive Beetle

The small hive beetle (Aethina tumida; Family: Nitiulidae), first showed up in southeastern Florida in the spring of 1998.  By the end of 1999, it had made its way into Georgia and many other Eastern states.  At present, it is not clear how the beetle made the long trip from its African homeland to the U.S. The small hive beetle is not considered a problem in South Africa and rarely actively destroys colonies there.

In the U.S., however, the small hive beetle appears to be a more serious pest.  Infestations here have resulted in loss of honey, both in the hive and in honey houses, and several thousand hives have been lost.  As U.S. beekeepers learn more about this beetle and its control, its impact on the bee industry may decrease.

As of February 2000, the small hive beetle has been confirmed in several Georgia counties, including: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Brantley, Bryan, Bullock, Butts, Camden, Charlton, Chattham, Clinch, Coffee, Decatur, Dekalb, Echols, Effingham, Fulton, Glynn, Henry, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Pierce, Spaulding, Tattnall, Tift, Toombs, Ware, Wayne. 

Description:
The adults are broad, flattened beetles about 3/16 inch long, about 2/3 as broad as they are long, and dark brown to nearly black in color. The larvae are elongate, whitish grubs, and are about 7/16 inch long when fully grown.  The larvae look much like young wax moth larvae, but not quite as large.  Small hive beetles and wax moths can infest the same hive.  While wax moth larvae have many uniform, small "prolegs," beetle larvae possess three pairs of larger more pronounced legs near the head. Another difference is that small hive beetles do not spin a cocoon in the hive, but must complete their development in the soil outside the beehive.

Life Cycle: 
Eggs are usually deposited in irregular masses in crevices or cavities inside the hive. Studies in South Africa indicate that eggs hatch in 2-3 days and larvae normally feed for 10-16 days. Females are thought to have a great reproductive capacity and a few fertile females can result in heavy infestations in a single generation.

Beetle larvae mature from egg hatch to pupae in 10-16 days. Larvae require a diet of honey and pollen to develop fully. The mature larvae leave the hive and burrow into the soil beneath the hive to pupate. The length of the pupal stage varies, but most pupae emerge from the soil as adults in 3-4 weeks.

Newly emerged adults are very active and fly readily when disturbed.  Newly emerged adults reenter a bee colony and begin the life cycle again. Female beetles begin laying eggs about one week following their emergence from the soil. As the adults age, they seek refuge and seldom fly. Although the adults may be found anywhere in the hive, they are normally found in debris on the bottom board, seen immediately after the inner cover is removed from the hive.  They may also hide in the cavity behind the metal rabbets or in cavities in the burr-comb the bees may have built between the top bars of the frames and the cover of the hive.  Adults live up to 6 months; therefore more than one generation may live in the same bee colony. In South Africa, five generations a year are possible during the warmer months. 

Economic Importance: The small hive beetle will not kill a hive or colony per se, but a heavy infestation may result in the bees leaving the hive (absconding).  Adult beetles and larvae inside the hive will feed on pollen, bee larvae, and eat off the wax cappings of stored honey.   As the beetle larvae move through the comb, they defecate in the honey making it unattractive to the bees. As the infestation develops, the honey ferments and bubbles out of the cells. The frothy, brown, fermenting honey oozes to the bottom board and may be found on the hive exterior. The fermenting honey is said to have the odor of decaying oranges.

Washing thoroughly with a garden hose and neighboring bees allowed to rob the remaining honey may salvage the comb from absconded colonies.  After all the honey is removed, the comb may be installed into another hive body.

Reports from Florida indicate that a thorough cleaning after each day of honey extraction is required for beetle control. Beetle larvae will feed on stored comb and supers of honey in honey houses, especially frames containing pollen, therefore, pulling more supers than can be extracted are likely to attract beetles. Wax cappings set aside following honey extraction may also become beetle infested. 

Prevention:
Maintaining a healthy bee colony that is capable of protecting all combs in the hive is important in preventing small hive beetle problems.  Whenever beetles are found in a bee yard, immediate treatment or removal of the infested hives is very important.  Purchasing hives, nucs, packages, and colonies only from licensed beekeepers is also recommended.

Control:
Currently, the only chemical available for control of the small hive beetle is the Checkmite+ Strip (formerly name Bayer Bee Strip, Bayer Corporation), which contains the active ingredient coumaphos.  The Checkmite+ Strips are registered in Georgia under a Section 18 Emergency Exemption, which must be renewed each year.  Follow all label directions when using this product or any other pesticide.  Under the terms of the Section 18 Emergency Exemption for the Checkmite+ Strips, which expires on January 18, 2001, comb honey (also known as ``cut comb") cannot be sold from hives that were treated with the Checkmite+ Strips.  Only extracted honey may be sold from treated hives.

A vulnerable point in the beetle's lifecycle is when the larvae move from the hive to the soil to pupate.  GardStar (Y-Tex Corporation), which contains the active ingredient permethrin, is registered as a soil drench insecticide to control the small hive beetle.  Applications should be made to the soil when bees are not active since permethrin is highly toxic to bees.  Use this product only according to label directions. 

Beekeepers should never use any pesticide that is not labeled for use in a bee yard or on honeybees.  Such experiments could potentially kill the bees or, worse, injure the beekeeper.  Unauthorized pesticide use could also contaminate honey and equipment.  Using any pesticide inconsistent with its labeling is a violation of federal law, with civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation and criminal penalties up to $5,000 per violation.

Georgia Department of Agriculture and Queen/Package Beekeepers:
Department inspectors have worked closely with the queen and package beekeepers to help insure that the small hive beetle is not further disbursed when bees are sold.  Currently, shipping certificates are issued only to dealers where the beetle has not been found or where hives have been treated for beetle infestation.