Evaluation of entomopathogenic nematodes in controlling small hive beetles (Aethina tumida) in six Florida soil compositions

The small hive beetle(SHB), Aethina tumida, is a significant pest of the western honey bee(Apis mellifera), causing havoc on the beekeeping industry. There are still no effective chemical controls for this pest. Therefore, evaluations of potential biocontrols is fundamental in reducing beetle populations before they become a significant problem in an apiary. The primary objective of our study was to determine the efficacy of the entomopathogenic nematodes(EPN) Heterhabditis indica, Steinernema carpocapsae, and Steinernema riobrave against SHB wandering larvae across six different Florida soil compositions. While Florida soils are mainly sandy, there are different types of sandy soil compositions. Testing various soil compositions provides regional representation of the efficacy of EPNs at controlling SHBs. The Florida soil textures that we tested included: 1) organic matter rich soil from Florida Everglades, 2) low organic matter soil with limestone from North Florida Flatwoods, 3) low organic matter soil with limestone from Central Florida Ridge, 4) organic matter with low pH from Central Florida, 5) organic matter with low pH from South Florida Flatwoods, and 6) low organic matter soil from Southern Coastal Plain, which is less sandy than all the other Florida textures. The EPNs were applied to glass jars (~1L volume) filled with soil containing 10 SHB larvae at a rate of 40 infective juveniles/larvae. After 10 days, the soil was sifted and parasitized SHB larvae were counted. This work is ongoing, but results will benefit beekeepers attempting to control this catastrophic pest.