Novel methods for the control of the small hive beetle

This research investigates the development of an attract-and-kill bait and an attractive semiochemical volatile oil blend for the in-hive control of the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida for. The first control method employs attracting the beetles to an in-hive trap with a feeding attractant/stimulant where a toxicant is delivered by consuming an edible bait. Investigations into mild insecticides led to the use of boric acid. This research was designed to identify key compounds that would attract small hive beetles, develop an edible bait using those compounds and if the diet would be consumed by the beetle, determine the lethal dose with the lowest amount of toxicant. The attractive compounds for the bait were identified from honey bee pollen patties inoculated Kodamaea ohmeri yeast and resulted in the identification of three key components: ethyl propionate, isobutyl propionate and ethyl butyrate. An artificial diet was used to deliver the toxicant to the beetles and was highly attractive and readily consumed. In laboratory trials the treatments containing the attract-and-kill with 2% boric acid reduced the beetle population to zero within a few days. The second method utilizes a volatile blend of attractive compounds that is incorporated into the oil and placed in the industry standard beetle trap to increase capture. This method has shown favorable results in increasing beetle capture than the oil alone. The development of an inexpensive small hive beetle trapping system is essential for in-hive control of this devastating pest.