To the skies and underground: Ecological and behavioural aspects of dispersal and pupation of the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida Murray; Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) as an invasive species.

Samenvatting

The small hive beetle (SHB, Aethina tumida) is an invasive pest species of honey bees with established populations on all continents except Antarctica. There is a lack of understanding of some of the mechanisms involved in the invasions of the SHB. In this thesis, the dispersal capacity and factors of importance for host-finding were studied under field conditions. It was found that the SHB is capable of long distance flights and uses host cues during dispersal. Additionally, successful pupation was shown in several greenhouse substrates and data obtained from laboratory studies was applied to global modelling data to show the impact under current and future climatic conditions.

The results signify the opportunistic nature of the SHB and highlights that the future impact of the species will likely increase due to global warming. This thesis contributes to the knowledge needed to mitigate the impact of this invasive species around the world.