News: A young scientist from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) recently identified the presence of the invasive Small Hive Beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida, in an apiary located in Amdanga, North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Small Hive Beetle (SHB)
About Small Hive Beetle (SHB)
- SHBs are small, oval-shaped beetles measuring 5–7 mm in length, typically reddish-brown in color.
- It is native to the sub-Saharan Africa.
- Female beetles infiltrate hives through cracks, laying eggs that hatch into larvae which feed on stored pollen, honey, and bee brood.
- Threat posed: A potentially devastating threat is posed to India’s honey bee population and apiculture industry of India.
- It is the first time this beetle’s presence has been recorded in the country.
- The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has classified SHB infestation as a notifiable disease due to its destructive potential.
