Small hive beetle
| Small hive beetle | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Nitidulidae |
| Genus: | Aethina |
| Species: | A. tumida |
| Binomial name | |
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Aethina tumida Murray, 1867 |
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The small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) is a beekeeping pest.
Endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida was first discovered in the United States in 1996 and has now spread to many U.S. states including, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Virginia, Texas, Kansas, Tennessee, and Hawaii. The movement of migratory beekeepers from Florida may have transported the beetle to other states. Recent findings also indicate transport of the beetles in packages.
Internationally, the Small Hive Beetle has spread to Australia being first identified at Richmond, NSW in 2002. Subsequently it has affected many areas of Queensland and New South Wales. It is speculated that a combination of importing queens from other countries and beekeepers moving their hives has caused the spread.
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Wikipedia