Aethina tumida

• beetle larvae burrow and tunnel through combs consuming brood, pollen and honey
• larvae produce a repellent slime so bees do not remove them from the hive (read human health precautions before cleaning out an infected hive)
• combs are damaged and drip honey which then ferments
• In Florida, US, 20,000 hives were lost in the first two years of an outbreak of SHB.

• eggs are laid in irregular-shaped masses on the combs
• larvae can be confused with wax moth larvae but beetle larvae have only six legs
• beetle larvae have spines on the upper or dorsal part of their body
• beetle larvae change to pupae and do not spin webs or cocoons
• larvae change to a whitish-brown pupae generally in the soil near the hives
• the adult is a small brown-black beetle 5-7 mm long and 2.5-3.5 mm wide
• freshly emerged adults may be red but soon become dark brown to black - they vary in size
• adult beetles can live up to 18 months with a generation being completed in 5-12 weeks
• fast moving and prefer dark parts of the hive
• if an inner mat is used they can be found hiding under the mat.

• widespread in Queensland's South East
• recently detected in North Queensland
• expected to be a major pest in the northern regions as numbers build up over a few seasons due to year-round humid conditions and moist soil.

• travels in honey bee swarms
• known to fly up to 5 km, but may fly further
• beetle eggs have been observed attached to worker bees in Florida, US
• package bees are a primary vector in the spread of the beetle
• all beehives, bee equipment, combs and supers (full or empty), wax cappings and bee-collected pollen can house and spread the beetle
• soil on pallets can spread the pupae and hence the beetle.

• there is no registered chemical inner-hive control measure available
• various vegetable oil traps are recommended
• beehive components and apiary products can be treated by freezing the equipment for 24 hours. After reaching -12^oC all stages of the small hive beetle will be killed
• existing cold rooms used for wax moth control can also be used by holding equipment at 1-9^oC for eight days. Equipment should be held in a freezer for 6 hours then for 12 days at 1-9^oC to overcome thermal inertia
• fumigation using phosphine gas kills eggs, larvae and adult small hive beetle.

• extract filled supers within 1-2 days
• render cappings promptly - do not leave them exposed for long periods
• store supers in areas with good air circulation and less than 50% humidity
• clean honey houses daily
• place a fluorescent light near the floor of the honey house to attract larvae falling out of infected supers as they look for a place to pupate - they can be swept up and drowned
• do not stack infested supers on to strong colonies
• do not make splits or exchange combs with infested hives
• monitor colonies for hygienic behaviour (ability to get rid of beetles and larvae)
• place hives on rock or hard clay-based soil rather than sandy soil
• consider traps to catch larvae as they leave the hive
• treat soil around infested hives with permethrin. Product containing 500g/L permethrin as active only ingredient 1 mL product in 1 L water, apply prepared solution to soil at a rate of 4 L per m2.
• ensure hives are not stressed e.g. by diseases or poor food stores
• maintain boxes in good condition
• use vegetable oil or diatomaceous earth in traps placed on the bottom board
• use mechanical beetle traps e.g. a bottle screwed into the base of hive covered with a raised platform that allows SHB in, but is too narrow for bees.

• Do not use unregistered chemicals in your hives to control SHB - this could result in residues in honey and bee products
• the National Registration Authority has approved the off-label use of permethrin on the ground surrounding bee hives or ground intended for hive placement. Permethrin is the only chemical registered for use in the bee industry for the control of SHB. The permit applies to products containing 500 g/L permethrin as their only active ingredient
• applications are only to be used when beetles or larvae have been observed in or around the hive
• apply in late evening after bees become inactive
• apply the prepared solution to thoroughly wet the ground in an area 45-60 cm wide in front of each hive
• repeat applications at 30-day intervals.

• slime outs are known to contain a yeast (Kodamaea ohmeri, a form of Candida guilliermondii) that has been associated very rarely with serious infections (fungal infections of the blood or heart valves) in people
• it is not clear whether cleaning out slime outs poses a risk of infection
• as a precaution, if you clean out an affected hive it is recommended you wear gloves and a mask (P2 or N95), cover any exposed broken skin with a waterproof dressing, then change your clothes and shower immediately afterwards
• if you have a weakened immune system it is best not to clean affected hives
• contact Queensland Health for further information

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Biosecurity Queensland can identify your beetle samples to determine if your hives are infested with SHB. Catch the beetles and place them in a sample jar of methylated spirits. Drain off the methylated spirits before mailing. Do not send live beetles in the mail. Include a completed Small hive beetle identification specimen advice sheet (PDF, 46 kB) with the sample.