Now that Small Hive Beetle (SHB) has been found in Europe, member states have the power to bring in legislation to protect their resident bees, and their beekeepers, from SHB. Member states can now ban the importation of the following agents of spread:

• Honey bees – package bees and queen bees;
• Bumble bees;
• Honeycomb – also known as comb-honey;
• Unprocessed beeswax.

The legislation is in Article 36 of the EU Treaty. Continue reading Small Hive Beetle (SHB) Prevention →

So what do we do on the day we find small hive beetle scuttling about amongst our bees?

It seems that, with the exception of Portugal, whenever it has reached a new country it has managed to get itself well established before anybody notices it and once it is established there is no shifting it. Then we are looking at putting more pesticide strips into our hives and also ploughing up the surrounding soil and drenching it with chemicals which are currently illegal in Europe… Continue reading Small Hive Beetle (SHB) Control →

Origins

Small hive beetle (Aethena tumida) is originally from sub-Saharan Africa where it is an insignificant pest – an inconvenience. It occupies a scavenger role – a sort of insect vulture – picking off weak African honey bee colonies and polishing off the dead. African honey bees have evolved defence mechanisms against the beetle… Continue reading Small Hive Beetle (SHB) Life Cycle →