Ellis J D, Hepburn H R, Ellis A M, Elzen P J
Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, 6140, Grahamstown, South Africa,
Naturwissenschaften. 2003 Aug;90(8):382-4. doi: 10.1007/s00114-003-0447-y. Epub 2003 Jul 29.
Increasing small hive beetle (Aethina tumida Murray) density changes prison construction and guarding behaviour in European honeybees (Apis mellifera L.). These changes include more guard bees per imprisoned beetle and the construction of more beetle prisons at the higher beetle density. Despite this, the number of beetles per prison (inmate density) did not change. Beetles solicited food more actively at the higher density and at night. In response, guard bees increased their aggressive behaviour towards beetle prisoners but did not feed beetles more at the higher density. Only 5% of all beetles were found among the combs at the low density but this percentage increased five-fold at the higher one. Successful comb infiltration (and thus reproduction) by beetles is a possible explanation for the significant damage beetles cause to European honeybee colonies in the USA.
小蜂螨（Aethina tumida Murray）密度增加会改变欧洲蜜蜂（Apis mellifera L.）的筑巢结构和守卫行为。这些变化包括每个被囚禁螨的守卫蜜蜂增多，以及在螨密度较高时建造更多的螨囚室。尽管如此，每个囚室中的螨数量（囚犯密度）并未改变。螨在较高密度和夜间更积极地索要食物。作为回应，守卫蜜蜂对被囚禁的螨增加了攻击行为，但在较高密度下并没有给螨更多喂食。在低密度时，所有螨中只有5%出现在巢脾中，但在高密度时这一比例增加了五倍。螨成功渗透到巢脾中（进而繁殖）可能是螨对美国欧洲蜜蜂蜂群造成重大损害的一个原因。
