Journal of Economic Entomology (2010) 103, 10-16

Marc O. Schäfer, Wolfgang Ritter, Jeff S. Pettis and Peter Neumann (2010)
Winter losses of honeybee colonies (Hymenoptera: Apidae): The role of infestations with Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) and Varroa destructor (Parasitiformes: Varroidae)
Journal of Economic Entomology 103 (1), 10-16
Abstract: Multiple infections of managed honeybee, Apis mellifera, colonies are inevitable due to the ubiquitous ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor and might be an underlying cause of winter losses. Here we investigated the role of adult small hive beetles, Aethina tumida, alone and in combination with V. destructor for winter losses and for infections with the microsporidian endoparasite Nosema ceranae. We found no significant influence of A. tumida and V. destructor alone or in combination on the numbers of N. ceranae spores. Likewise, A. tumida alone had no significant effects on winter losses, which is most likely due to the observed high winter mortality of the adult beetles. Therefore, our data suggest that A. tumida is unlikely to contribute to losses of overwintering honeybee colonies. However, high losses occurred in all groups highly infested with V. destructor, supporting the central role of the mite for colony losses.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Marc O. Schäfer, Peter Neumann

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
damage/losses/economics
population dynamics/ epidemiology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Varroa destructor
	Aethina tumida
	Vairimorpha ceranae