Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

Journal of Chemical Ecology

Publication Date

2-1-2025

Abstract

Over the last 28 years, the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), a colony pest of wild and managed honey bees (Apis mellifera), and native to sub-Saharan Africa, has been recorded as an invasive and damaging pest of diverse bee species, especially managed honeybee colonies in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia. It poses an indirect threat to pollination services and global food security. Efforts to manage the beetle has yielded no permanent solution. However, several studies demonstrate that the small hive beetle uses various sensory cues to locate hosts including chemical and visual cues in the visible wavelength. Here, we review the chemical ecology of the beetle and discuss implications for its future management.

Keywords

Bee pollinators, Insect-microbial interactions, Insect-plant interactions, Invasive pests, Semiochemicals, Small hive beetle

PubMed ID

39890687

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