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Title: CONTROLLING SMALL HIVE BEETLES (AETHINA TUMIDA MURRAY) IN HONEY BEE (APIS MELLIFERA) COLONIES USING A MODIFIED HIVE ENTRANCE

Author
item ELLIS, J - RHODES UNIV., S. AFRICA
item DELAPLANE, KEITH - UNIV. GEORGIA
item HEPBURN, H - RHODES UNIV., S. AFRICA
item Elzen, Patti

Submitted to: American Bee Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/20/2003
Publication Date: 2/20/2004
Citation: Ellis, J.D., Delaplane, K.S., Hepburn, H.R., Elzen, P.J. 2004. Controlling small hive beetles (aethina tumida murray) in honey bee (apis mellifera) colonies using a modified hive entrance. American Bee Journal. 142(4):288-290.

Interpretive Summary: The small hive beetle is a new pest attacking honey bee hives in the Western Hemisphere. Infestation occurs as beetles enter hives through normal entrances and minor cracks. We found that by closing the normal opening and installing small PVC pipes above the closed opening, numbers of beetles could be significantly deterred from entering hives.

Technical Abstract: This study was designed to test whether colony infestations of small hive beetles can be reduced by replacing the regular entrance of a hive with a 3/4 inch (2-cm) PVC pipe located 3-4 inches (7.6'10.2 cm) above the bottom board. Colonies with pipe entrances had significantly fewer adult beetles (46.9 beetles/colony) than colonies with conventional entrances (107.7 beetles/colony). Pipe entrances did not affect the amount of sealed brood in a colony nor the temperature inside colonies. However, temperature inside colonies was significantly affected by the amount of brood; temperature increased as the amount of brood in a colony increased. Brood did not affect the number of adult beetles present in colonies. This experiment shows that modifying a colony's entrance likely will control small hive beetles.