TY - JOUR
T1 - Scientific note on small hive beetle infestation of stingless bee (Tetragonula carbonaria) colony following a heat wave
AU - Nacko, Scott
AU - Hall, Mark
AU - Duncan, Michael
AU - Cook, James
AU - Riegler, Markus
AU - Spooner-Hart, Robert
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - We present the first study of infestation by the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida , in a queenright colony of the stingless bee Tetragonula carbonaria , a species used for pollination services. Nine managed hives were deployed outside the bee’s endemic range. After 2 months, including a heat wave of four consecutive days above 40 °C, one colony was visibly weakened with fewer foragers. This hive was removed from the site for the colony to recover. After a second heat wave, another colony was found weakened and infested with small hive beetle (SHB). Inside the hive, 14 adults and 133 larvae of SHB were discovered. Extreme daily maximum temperatures and low humidity appear to have weakened this colony. Our study highlights the need for careful placement of managed hives, as the SHB has potential to be a significant pest of stingless bees under adverse conditions.
AB - We present the first study of infestation by the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida , in a queenright colony of the stingless bee Tetragonula carbonaria , a species used for pollination services. Nine managed hives were deployed outside the bee’s endemic range. After 2 months, including a heat wave of four consecutive days above 40 °C, one colony was visibly weakened with fewer foragers. This hive was removed from the site for the colony to recover. After a second heat wave, another colony was found weakened and infested with small hive beetle (SHB). Inside the hive, 14 adults and 133 larvae of SHB were discovered. Extreme daily maximum temperatures and low humidity appear to have weakened this colony. Our study highlights the need for careful placement of managed hives, as the SHB has potential to be a significant pest of stingless bees under adverse conditions.
KW - colonies
KW - heat waves (meteorology)
KW - stingless bees
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/1959.7/uws:57000
U2 - 10.1007/s13592-020-00799-6
DO - 10.1007/s13592-020-00799-6
M3 - Article
SN - 0044-8435
VL - 51
SP - 1199
EP - 1201
JO - Apidologie
JF - Apidologie
IS - 6
ER -