Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Remember the following points about
T. c l a r a e
:
It can cause colony collapse faster than varroa.
It can mate outside cells as well as inside cells (unlike varroa).
It cannot live outside cells for very long, and this is a major weakness. This means
that, during brood-less periods such as cold winters, the mite cannot survive in a
colony and will be cleared out.
All beekeepers - even in areas without
T. c l a r a e
- should keep an eye out for it.
Small hive beetle
The arrival of this pest in the USA and Australia has been a major blow to beekeeping
in these countries. The small hive beetle can eat the brood, destroy the comb and quickly
end a colony's life. Its home is Africa where it is regarded as a minor pest of honey-bees,
but its presence outside this area is, like so many pests and diseases that have spread
throughout the world, a disaster. Beekeepers in beetle-free areas of the world should
look out for this pest and report any findings immediately.
Identifying small hive beetle
The one easy thing about this beetle is that an infestation is easy to recognize:
The adult beetle is about one third the size of a bee and can be seen readily, as can their
larvae. The beetles are initially reddish brown but mature to black. The adults have two
distinctive, club-shaped antennae (see Photographs 17 and 18 in the colour photograph
section of this topic).
When a hive is opened, adult beetles can be seen running across the combs to hide
from the light (see Photograph 19 in the colour photograph section of this topic).
