ARS | Publication request: COLONY INVASION OF SMALL HIVE BEETLES: THE EFFECTS OF HONEY BEE TYPE AND ENTRANCE REDUCERS

Submitted to: American Bee Journal
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: January 9, 2006
Publication Date: May 1, 2006
Citation: Frake, A.M., De Guzman, L.I. 2006. Colony invasion of small hive beetles: the effects of honey bee type and entrance reducers. American Bee Journal 146(5):447

Technical Abstract: Frake, A. M. & L. I. de Guzman COLONY INVASION OF SMALL HIVE BEETLES: THE EFFECTS OF HONEY BEE TYPE AND ENTRANCE REDUCERS - First detected in Florida in 1998, small hive beetles (SHB) are now found in at least 30 states. Although SHB can kill colonies (Elzen et al., 1999, Apidologie 30: 361-366), survival of infested colonies may differ between two honey bee stocks. De Guzman et al. (Am. Bee J. submitted) showed that SHB-infested Russian honey bee colonies lived longer than SHB-infested Italian colonies. Several approaches have been tested to control SHB population in European honey bees including the use of modified hive entrances such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes. However, SHB control was inconsistent and this technique negatively affected brood production, water drainage and amount of floor debris when a regular wooden bottom board was used (Ellis et al., 2003, J. Econ. Entomol. 96:1647-1652; Hood, 2004 Bee World 85:51-59).