Small hive beetle

Aethina tumida, commonly known as small hive beetle (SHB), is a beekeeping pest. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa, but has spread to many other regions, including North America, Australia, and the Philippines.

The small hive beetle primarily lives within the beehive and feeds on pollen, honey, and dead bees. The colonization can cause severe damage to honeycomb, stored honey, and pollen. Beetle larvae may tunnel through combs of honey, feeding and defecating, causing discoloration and fermentation of the honey. If a beetle infestation is abundant and concentrated, they may cause bees to abandon their hive.

Small hive beetles have shown unique behavior associated with pheromones. They can sense the honeybee's alarm pheromone, which is primarily released by the host to inform the host guards about the presence of invaders. This fitness advantage improves their ability to quickly locate and colonize the honeybee hives. The host has evolved some strategies to cope with the colony damage, such as imprisonment of the invader, patrolling, and removal of beetle's eggs.

Small hive beetles can cause significant economic loss on bee colony, stored honey, and package bee production. Biological control method includes uses of fungi and fire ants. Cultural control focuses on the hygienic practice of beekeeper. Chemical control strategy includes uses of carbon disulfide, para-dichlorobenzene, and some chemical products on the market.