Occurrence of the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) in Melipona rufiventris colonies in Brazil

Sérgio Nogueira Pereira,Renata Falcão Rabello Da Costa,Luis Henrique Soares Alves,Erica Weinstein Teixeira,Fábio Prezoto

doi:10.13102/sociobiology.v68i1.6021

Abstract

Several traits make stingless bees attractive to parasites of honey bee colonies. The small hive beetle (SHB) Aethina tumida, a honey bee colony scavenger/parasite native to sub-Saharan Africa, where is considered only a minor pest, is now present on almost all continents, including the Latin America region in South America. SHB has been recorded in Brazil since 2016 in Africanized honey bees and generaly the beetle does not seem cause negative impacts. European honey bees, on the other hand, suffer considerable damage when parasitized by SHB, suggesting a potential threat to other susceptible social bees. The present study reports the first occurrence of SHB in stingless bees in Brazil, and is an alert to authorities and stingless beekeepers to prevent infestations.

Highlights

Stingless bees in Brazil sum almost 300 species (Pereira et al, 2017)
Several traits make stingless bees attractive to parasites of honey bee colonies. This is the case of the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida Murray, 1867 (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), a honey bee parasite native to sub-Saharan Africa, where it was first identified, and present on almost all continents (Neumann et al, 2016)
In Brazil, small hive beetle (SHB) has been recorded in Rio de Janeiro apiaries since 2016 (Pereira et al, 2017)

Summary

Introduction

Stingless bees in Brazil sum almost 300 species (Pereira et al, 2017). they have been threatened by emergent pests and pathogens previously associated only with Apis (Teixeira et al, 2020), and by anthropogenic activities such as deforestation, habitat loss, and illegal trade. Stingless bees in Brazil sum almost 300 species (Pereira et al, 2017). Several traits make stingless bees attractive to parasites of honey bee colonies (e.g., food storage, production of volatile substances from fermenting hive products, proteinrich larvae).

Results

Conclusion