Mbata George N, Browning Kaitlyn, Warsi Sanower, Li Yinping, Ellis James D, Kanga Lambert H, Shapiro-Ilan David I
Entomology Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, 1005 State University Drive, Fort Valley, GA 31030, USA.
Honeybee Research and Extension Laboratory, Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Steinmetz Hall, Gainesville, FL 32611-0620, USA.
J Nematol. 2025 Mar 29;57(1):20250011. doi: 10.2478/jofnem-2025-0011. eCollection 2025 Feb.
The small hive beetle (SHB), Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), has become a ubiquitous, invasive, and highly destructive pest of western honeybee ( Linnaeus) hives worldwide. Beekeepers often attempt to control this beetle chemically. Still, ineffective registered control options and rampant off-label chemical use in the beekeeping industry have driven research toward alternative pest management strategies. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) of the families Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae have been established as potential biocontrol agents against soil-dwelling insect pests. However, studies are needed to determine the most appropriate EPN species to control SHB. In this study, an LD of ~700 infective juveniles (IJs) of EPN per SHB larva was determined through dose-response experiments. This application rate was used to compare the virulence of the following seven species of EPNs against SHB larvae: (VS), (K22), (Kesha), (HOM1), (All), (17C+E), and (355). (All) and (K22) were found to cause 100% larval mortality of SHB at 14 days post-inoculation. Assays for the persistence of virulence of (K22) and in the soil over several weeks from a single application found that both species maintained efficacy, causing 96% mortality of SHB larvae by week 6 post-inoculation. We recommend that (All) and (K22) due to their superior virulence for the control of small hive beetles.
小蜂螨（SHB），默里（鞘翅目：露尾甲科），已成为全球西方蜜蜂（林奈）蜂箱中一种普遍存在、具有侵入性且极具破坏性的害虫。养蜂人常常试图用化学方法控制这种螨虫。然而，养蜂行业中注册的控制方法效果不佳以及大量非标签化学药剂的使用促使人们开展替代害虫管理策略的研究。异小杆线虫科和斯氏线虫科的昆虫病原线虫已被确认为防治土壤栖息害虫的潜在生物防治剂。然而，需要开展研究以确定控制小蜂螨最合适的昆虫病原线虫种类。在本研究中，通过剂量反应实验确定了每只小蜂螨幼虫约700条感染性幼虫（IJs）的致死剂量。该施用量用于比较以下七种昆虫病原线虫对小蜂螨幼虫的毒力：（VS）、（K22）、（凯莎）、（HOM1）、（全部）、（17C + E）和（355）。接种后14天，发现（全部）和（K22）导致小蜂螨幼虫100%死亡。对单次施用后（K22）和在土壤中数周内毒力持久性的测定发现，这两个种类均保持了效力，接种后第6周导致小蜂螨幼虫96%死亡。由于（全部）和（K22）在控制小蜂螨方面具有卓越的毒力，我们建议使用它们。
