September 7, 2007

 

Small Hive Beetle Found in Nebraska

 

LINCOLN, Neb. - On Aug. 28 the small hive beetle, a pest in honey bee colonies, was found in a Lincoln bee hive. A few days later, small hive beetles were collected from an infested hive in Columbus.

Small Hive Beetle (Jeff Lotz)

In both cases, identification was confirmed by entomologists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. While regional evidence suggests the beetles will not become a major pest for colonies in Nebraska, beekeepers should be prudent and learn how to recognize the beetles and their damage.

 

A workshop on how to recognize and manage small hive beetles will be offered by UNL's Department of Entomology from 10 a.m.-noon Oct. 27 at the Lancaster County Extension Office, 444 Cherrycreek Rd. Pre-registration is not required.

 

Small hive beetle damage (Jeff Lotz)

The small hive beetle is native to Africa where it does little harm to indigenous bees. In 1998, it was first found in the U.S. in several southern coastal states. In the warm and humid climates of South Carolina, Florida and Georgia, beetle populations reached damaging levels and beekeepers suffered extensive losses.

 

Since honey bees are shipped via mail and moved on trucks for pollination, beetles inevitably have been moved across the U.S. In most areas outside the warm and humid coastal areas, beetle infestations rarely reach levels that are damaging to honey bee colonies; however, they readily invade weak or dead hives and damage equipment.

 

In the north central region of the U.S., small hive beetles can be a significant pest in buildings where beekeeping equipment is stored and in honey extracting facilities. The beetles do not tolerate low humidity, and they can be eliminated in honey extracting facilities by using a dehumidifier to maintain a low humidity level.

 

While the beetles found on Aug. 28 are the first official record of the beetles' presence in Nebraska, they have almost certainly been introduced multiple times in recent years due to the extensive shipment and movement of honey bees.

 

Fortunately, all life stages of the beetles are killed by freezing conditions, and soil moisture levels must be high for successful beetle reproduction. Evidence from other states in the region suggests that they will only be an occasional problem in Nebraska, especially in weak and dead hives.

 

Additional informational meetings will be scheduled in February at various sites around the state. For more information about the meetings call (402) 472-2123.

 

David Keith - Ph.D.

Entomology

Professor

(402) 472-8918

 

Sandi Alswager Karstens

IANR News and Photography

(402) 472-3030