Apidologie 40 (2009) 535-548
DOI: 10.1051/apido/2009020

Alternative control of Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) with lime and diatomaceous earth

Sven Buchholz¹, Katharina Merkel², Sebastian Spiewok¹, Jeff S. Pettis³, Michael Duncan⁴, Robert Spooner-Hart⁴, Christian Ulrichs⁵, Wolfgang Ritter⁶ and P. Neumann<sup>0

1</sup>  Institut für Biologie, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 4, 06099 Halle (Saale), Germany
²  Institut für Ökologie und Evolutionsbiologie, FB 2, Universität Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
³  USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory, Bldg. 476, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
⁴  Centre for Plant and Food Science, College of Science Technology and Environment, University of Western Sydney, Richmond, Australia
⁵  Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Gartenbauwissenschaften, Urban Horticulture, 14195 Berlin, Germany
⁶  Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Freiburg (CVUA), Fachgebiet Bienen, Am Moosweiher 2, 79108 Freiburg, Germany

Received 20 August 2008 – Revised 7 December 2008 – Accepted 12 January 2009 - Published online 6 June 2009

Abstract - Aiming at alternative small hive beetle control, slaked lime, powdered limestone and diatomaceous earth (Fossil Shield FS 95, FS 90.0 and FS 90.0s) were evaluated for their effects on pupation and adult emergence in the laboratory. Limestone, FS 90.0 and FS 95 showed no significant effect. Slaked lime in autoclaved soil prevented pupation, but was lethal only in high dosages of 10 and 15 g per 100 g soil. In non-autoclaved soil, low slaked lime dosages of 0.5 and 5 g resulted each in >90% mortality, possibly due to enhanced pathogen activity. However, with FS 90s (also using non-autoclaved soil) it's the reverse. Larvae penetrated a slaked lime layer and pupated in untreated soil below. Slaked lime and FS 90.0s were also tested in traps (diagnostic trays) in the laboratory and in honeybee field colonies. In the field, 30.5  29.3% of the adults were caught in the traps with slaked lime. FS 90.0s caused 100% adult mortality in field traps, where 57.9  8.3% of the hives' adult SHB infestation died within 48 h. Our data showed a good potential for the use of FS 90.0s as inhive treatment and suggest further research with slaked lime as alternative control of SHB.

Key words: amorphous silica / integrated pest management / powdered limestone / slaked lime / small hive beetle


© INRA, DIB-AGIB, EDP Sciences 2009