Small hive beetle, Aethina tumida, populations II : dispersal of small hive beetles

Sebastian Spiewok; Michael Duncan; Robert Spooner-Hart; Jeffery S. Pettis; Peter Neumann

Small hive beetle, Aethina tumida, populations II : dispersal of small hive beetles

Sebastian Spiewok, Michael Duncan, Robert Spooner-Hart, Jeffery S. Pettis, Peter Neumann

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

64 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Small hive beetles (= SHB), Aethina tumida, are parasites and scavengers of honeybee colonies and actively disperse for host finding. We investigated the re-infestation levels of SHB-free colonies within ten infested apiaries in South Africa, Australia and the USA. Re-infestation of 95% of the colonies indicates a high SHB exchange between colonies. Colony position and queen status had no influence on colony infestation levels. Spread into apiaries was determined at twelve SHB-free apiaries. While apiaries in Maryland remained un-infested, those in Australia showed high infestation numbers. Apiary density, SHB population levels and ongoing SHB mass reproduction seem to govern SHB infestation of newly installed apiaries. Those located in forested habitats showed higher infestation levels possibly due to the presence of wild/feral colonies. The results elucidate factors influencing SHB dispersal and the role of human-mediated spread, enabling improved control of SHB.

Original language	English
Number of pages	11
Journal	Apidologie
Publication status	Published - 2008

Keywords

Aethina tumida
Apis mellifera
beehives
dispersal
honeybee
small hive beetles

Cite this

@article{c3c0290d72b6467d82f01365b66bea4f,

title = "Small hive beetle, Aethina tumida, populations II : dispersal of small hive beetles",

abstract = "Small hive beetles (= SHB), Aethina tumida, are parasites and scavengers of honeybee colonies and actively disperse for host finding. We investigated the re-infestation levels of SHB-free colonies within ten infested apiaries in South Africa, Australia and the USA. Re-infestation of 95% of the colonies indicates a high SHB exchange between colonies. Colony position and queen status had no influence on colony infestation levels. Spread into apiaries was determined at twelve SHB-free apiaries. While apiaries in Maryland remained un-infested, those in Australia showed high infestation numbers. Apiary density, SHB population levels and ongoing SHB mass reproduction seem to govern SHB infestation of newly installed apiaries. Those located in forested habitats showed higher infestation levels possibly due to the presence of wild/feral colonies. The results elucidate factors influencing SHB dispersal and the role of human-mediated spread, enabling improved control of SHB.",

keywords = "Aethina tumida, Apis mellifera, beehives, dispersal, honeybee, small hive beetles",

author = "Sebastian Spiewok and Michael Duncan and Robert Spooner-Hart and Pettis, {Jeffery S.} and Peter Neumann",

year = "2008",

language = "English",

journal = "Apidologie",

issn = "0044-8435",

publisher = "Springer Cham",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Small hive beetle, Aethina tumida, populations II : dispersal of small hive beetles

AU - Spiewok, Sebastian

AU - Duncan, Michael

AU - Spooner-Hart, Robert

AU - Pettis, Jeffery S.

AU - Neumann, Peter

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - Small hive beetles (= SHB), Aethina tumida, are parasites and scavengers of honeybee colonies and actively disperse for host finding. We investigated the re-infestation levels of SHB-free colonies within ten infested apiaries in South Africa, Australia and the USA. Re-infestation of 95% of the colonies indicates a high SHB exchange between colonies. Colony position and queen status had no influence on colony infestation levels. Spread into apiaries was determined at twelve SHB-free apiaries. While apiaries in Maryland remained un-infested, those in Australia showed high infestation numbers. Apiary density, SHB population levels and ongoing SHB mass reproduction seem to govern SHB infestation of newly installed apiaries. Those located in forested habitats showed higher infestation levels possibly due to the presence of wild/feral colonies. The results elucidate factors influencing SHB dispersal and the role of human-mediated spread, enabling improved control of SHB.

AB - Small hive beetles (= SHB), Aethina tumida, are parasites and scavengers of honeybee colonies and actively disperse for host finding. We investigated the re-infestation levels of SHB-free colonies within ten infested apiaries in South Africa, Australia and the USA. Re-infestation of 95% of the colonies indicates a high SHB exchange between colonies. Colony position and queen status had no influence on colony infestation levels. Spread into apiaries was determined at twelve SHB-free apiaries. While apiaries in Maryland remained un-infested, those in Australia showed high infestation numbers. Apiary density, SHB population levels and ongoing SHB mass reproduction seem to govern SHB infestation of newly installed apiaries. Those located in forested habitats showed higher infestation levels possibly due to the presence of wild/feral colonies. The results elucidate factors influencing SHB dispersal and the role of human-mediated spread, enabling improved control of SHB.

KW - Aethina tumida

KW - Apis mellifera

KW - beehives

KW - dispersal

KW - honeybee

KW - small hive beetles

UR - http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/487921

M3 - Article

SN - 0044-8435

JO - Apidologie

JF - Apidologie

ER -

Small hive beetle, Aethina tumida, populations II : dispersal of small hive beetles

Abstract

Keywords

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this