Monday, December 10, 2007 - 3:59 PM
0706

Seasonal activity of the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida, as estimated by baited flight traps

Richard T. Arbogast, terry.arbogast@ars.usda.gov1, Baldwyn Torto, btorto@icipe.org2, and Peter E. A. Teal, peter.teal@ars.usda.gov1. (1) USDA-ARS-CMAVE, 1700 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, FL, (2) International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), P. O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

Seasonal variation in flight activity of the small hive beetle was monitored at two sites in north-central Florida, one near colonies of the European honeybee and the other far removed from bee colonies. Activity was monitored with flight traps baited with fermenting pollen dough that had been inoculated with a strain of the yeast Kodamaea ohmeri associated with the beetle. Variation in trap catch at each site over the course of a year is described and related to temperature,rainfall,and humidity recorded at nearby weather stations.


Species 1: Coleoptera Nitidulidae Aethina tumida (small hive beetle)