Scientific note on small hive beetle infestation of stingless bee (Tetragonula carbonaria) colony following a heat wave

Scott Nacko, Mark Hall, Michael Duncan, James Cook, Markus Riegler, Robert Spooner-Hart

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1199-1201
Number of pages3
JournalApidologie
Volume51
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Keywords

  • colonies
  • heat waves (meteorology)
  • stingless bees

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