Prioritizing hive bottom boards and top covers is critical because adult Small Hive Beetles (SHB) actively seek dark, protected crevices to survive. These pests naturally exhibit avoidance behaviors toward both light and aggressive honey bees, driving them to retreat into the specific physical shelters offered by the hive's floor and ceiling. Focusing your inspection on these anatomical areas significantly increases the probability of detecting an infestation that might otherwise go unnoticed on the frames.
By targeting the beetle's preferred "safe zones"—the bottom board and top cover—you leverage their biological need for darkness and protection against them, ensuring a far more accurate assessment of colony health.
Understanding Small Hive Beetle Behavior
To effectively detect SHB, you must understand the survival instincts that dictate their movement within the colony.
Avoidance of Light
Adult beetles are photophobic, meaning they have a strong aversion to light.
When a hive is opened and sunlight penetrates the colony, beetles instinctively scurry toward the darkest available areas.
Evasion of Host Attacks
Honey bees will actively harass and attack SHB intruders.
To survive, beetles seek out tight crevices and corners where bees cannot easily sting or corral them. This makes the open surfaces of a comb frame a dangerous place for a beetle to linger.
Strategic Importance of Hive Anatomy
The structure of a standard hive creates specific zones that inadvertently serve as ideal shelters for these pests.
The Top Cover
The inner surface of the top cover (lid) often provides a thin, dark gap above the frames.
Because heat rises and this area is generally less patrolled by guard bees than the entrance, it becomes a primary aggregation point for beetles seeking refuge.
The Bottom Board
Gravity and hive debris make the bottom board a chaotic environment that favors the beetle.
Beetles use the corners and crevices along the floor of the hive to hide from the light entering the main entrance and to evade the hygienic behavior of the colony.
Common Pitfalls in Inspection
While inspecting these areas is necessary, how you handle the equipment also impacts detection success.
The Risk of Rapid Escape
Small Hive Beetles are highly mobile.
According to inspection protocols, beetles may flee the hive entirely when disturbed by the sudden influx of light or physical activity.
Compromising Infestation Data
If the hive lid is not utilized correctly or inspections are too slow, beetles may escape before they are counted.
Maintaining a "closed internal environment" as much as possible—such as closing the lid between frame inspections—ensures that the beetles remain contained, preserving the integrity of your infestation statistics.
Making the Right Choice for Your Goal
To maximize the effectiveness of your hive inspections, apply these targeted strategies based on your specific objectives.
- If your primary focus is early detection: Immediately inspect the underside of the top cover and the surface of the bottom board upon opening the hive, as these are the highest-probability zones for adult beetles.
- If your primary focus is accurate data collection: Utilize the hive lid as containment equipment during screening to prevent beetle escape and ensure your count reflects the true infestation level.
By anticipating the beetle's retreat into darkness, you turn their survival instinct into a vulnerability you can exploit.
Summary Table:
| Inspection Zone | SHB Behavior | Why It’s a Hotspot |
|---|---|---|
| Top Cover | Aggregation | Dark, warm, and less patrolled by guard bees. |
| Bottom Board | Hiding | Offers debris, corners, and crevices to escape light and bees. |
| Comb Frames | Evasion | Beetles avoid open frames to escape honey bee attacks. |
| Hive Crevices | Refined Survival | Tight spaces provide safety where bees cannot sting. |
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References
- Rafael A. Calderón-Fallas, Paola Hernández-Ching. Strategies for detection and monitoring of the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) in Africanized honeybee colonies in Costa Rica. DOI: 10.15359/rcv.42-1.2
This article is also based on technical information from HonestBee Knowledge Base .
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