Villalobos Ethel M, Medina Medina Luis, Zhang Zhening, Nikaido Scott, Miranda Emanuel, Wong Jason, Santamaria Jessika, Buteler Micaela
Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
Departamento de Apicultura Tropical, Campus Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida 97315, Mexico.
Insects. 2025 May 13;16(5):517. doi: 10.3390/insects16050517.
Due to the ongoing global spread of the small hive beetle (SHB), , there is a significant need for detection and practical management strategies against this pest. The standard inspection strategies for SHBs involve (1) detailed visual examination of the colony, which is challenging in areas with defensive bees, or (2) sampling beetles via traps, which requires repeated visits to the apiary and can be difficult for beekeepers with apiaries in rural areas. In this study, we modified the inspection sequence to examine the in-hive distribution of the beetle and assess whether a limited, yet targeted, inspection could provide valuable information on beetle infestation. We conducted our modified sampling in three different countries: Hawai'i (USA), Mexico, and Costa Rica. We found that targeted screening of the top areas of the hive (cover and top-side frames) provided reliable information about the relative prevalence of SHBs in a colony. The results also suggested that SHBs do not naturally congregate on a bare bottom board but migrate downward during inspection. Trap placement on the bottom floor of the hive may underestimate beetle presence in low to medium pest levels. The proposed inspection protocol is not influenced by the genetic origin of the bees (Africanized or European) and could be a practical alternative for assessing SHB infestation levels in honeybee colonies.
由于小蜂螨（SHB）在全球持续传播，因此迫切需要针对这种害虫的检测和实际管理策略。小蜂螨的标准检查策略包括：（1）对蜂群进行详细的目视检查，这在有防御性蜜蜂的地区具有挑战性；或（2）通过诱捕器对螨进行采样，这需要多次前往养蜂场，对于在农村地区拥有养蜂场的养蜂人来说可能很困难。在本研究中，我们修改了检查顺序，以检查蜂箱内螨的分布情况，并评估有限但有针对性的检查是否可以提供有关螨侵染的有价值信息。我们在三个不同的国家进行了修改后的采样：美国夏威夷、墨西哥和哥斯达黎加。我们发现，对蜂箱顶部区域（盖子和顶部框架）进行有针对性的筛查，可以提供有关蜂群中小蜂螨相对流行程度的可靠信息。结果还表明，小蜂螨不会自然聚集在裸露的底板上，而是在检查过程中向下迁移。将诱捕器放置在蜂箱底部可能会低估低至中等害虫水平时螨的存在情况。所提议的检查方案不受蜜蜂遗传来源（非洲化或欧洲化）的影响，并且可能是评估蜜蜂群体中小蜂螨侵染水平的一种实用替代方法。
