Trapping small hive beetles, Aethina tumida Murray, inside honey bee colonies

The small hive beetle, Aethina tumida Murray, (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) is an economically important honey bee pest, particularly in the southeastern United States. One method of controlling this pest is the use of an in-hive trap. Many different attractants have been developed and are used in such traps. Part one of my thesis involved testing a new attractant, a pollen substitute inoculated with the yeast Kodamaea ohmeri (NRRL Y-30722). Thirty-two test colonies were established with 0.9-kg (2-lb) packages of bees with queens. Eight colonies were placed in each apiary, and colonies received one of three treatments: (1) yeast-based attractant (2) apple cider vinegar, a known small hive beetle attractant, and (3) control, an empty trap. The delivery system used for the test was the "Hood small hive beetle trap." Data was collected over a six-month period from May to November 2006. Both the yeast-based and the cider vinegar attractants increased small hive beetle trapping as compared to control traps. Additionally, the yeast-based attractant showed an increase in small hive beetle trapping efficiency during the warmer months of July and August. More capped brood and fewer beetles were present in colonies with attractant-loaded traps as compared to control traps.;The second year of my research involved determining the most effective location for trapping the small hive beetle within a honey bee colony. Five apiaries were established between 31 March and 2 April 2007 at approximately 2.4 km apart; each contained five honey bee colonies. Two Hood beetle traps were placed within each colony; one trap was placed in the top honey super, the other in the brood chamber. Data were collected for a seven-month period, from May to November 2007. There was no significant difference in number of beetles captured between the two trap locations for any of the ten sampling dates. Currently, most traps developed for small hive beetle focus on trapping near the hive floor. However, my data suggest that trapping can be just as effective in honey supers above the brood chamber. Additionally, seasonal differences in trapping effectiveness were observed.