Control

The use of antibiotics is not permitted in Switzerland; moreover, no other medication exists to combat European foul brood. Hives with symptoms must therefore be destroyed in order to limit the outbreak, and the contaminated material must be sanitised. Since prevention is the best cure, early detection is desirable. Numerous studies have been undertaken and documents have been created at the Swiss Bee Research Centre and elsewhere to draw the attention of beekeepers to these problems and inform them about the causes and the control measures to be implemented.

Merkblatt zur erkennung von Bienenbrutkrankheiten (German (PDF, 357 kB, 18.10.2017) and French (PDF, 226 kB, 02.02.2017))
M. Tschumi (2011)

The smell of sex: cuticular hydrocarbons of adult small hive beetles, Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae).

Institutional Repository Agroscope

Papach A., Balusu R., Williams G. R., Fadamiro H. Y., Neumann P.

The smell of sex: cuticular hydrocarbons of adult small hive beetles, Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae).

Journal of Apicultural Research, 61, (3), 2022, 365-367.

Riassunto:

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) play key olfactory roles in insect mating, and can therefore be used for pest control. However, the CHC profiles of adult small hive beetles (SHB), Aethina tumida, are currently unknown, even though this widespread invasive species threatens agriculture and wild bee populations. Here we show that CHC profiles can differ between SHB males and females, as well as their mating statuses. In the laboratory, SHB were reared individually and then kept singly or in mixed groups of males and females until sexual maturity at day 10. Then, CHC profiles were compared between the six groups (virgin 1 and 10 days old females, mated 10 days old females, virgin 1 and 10 days old males, and mated 10 days old males). The data show largely homogenous CHC profiles, with no substance being specific to males. However, Hexahydropyridine,1-methyl-4-[4,5-dihydroxyphenyl] was only detected in female SHBs and 2′-Hydroxypropiophenone, TMS derivative was only detected in 10 days old virgin females, and 5-Cyclohexyl-1-pentene was exclusively found in mated beetles, regardless of sex or age. The biological activity of these candidates needs to be confirmed. Given that they constitute olfactory cues involved in mating, this would offer a promising avenue for sustainable pest control of SHB, enabling for the first time to protect wild bee populations.

ISSN Print: 0021-8839
ISSN Online: 2078-6913
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.2021.2015057
ID pubblicazione (Codice web): 49020 Inviare via e-mail

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Tierseuchenverordnung - Abschnitt: Sauerbrut der Bienen (German, French and Italian)

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The smell of sex: cuticular hydrocarbons of adult small hive beetles, Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae).