Abstract

LORIGA PENA, Walberto; FONTE CARBALLO, Leydi  and  DEMEDIO LORENZO, Jorge. Report of Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae) in colonies of the stingless bee Melipona beecheii Bennett of Matanzas and Mayabeque. Rev Salud Anim. [online]. 2014, vol.36, n.3, pp. 201-204. ISSN 0253-570X.

Coleopteran Aethina tumida Murray behaves as an opportunist parasite of honey bee hives in Sub-Saharan Africa, but dangerous in world areas with different honey bee ecotypes. In Cuba, it was reported in 2012, in Apis mellifera L. colonies, without significant injuries. In Africa and Australia, it has been observed in stingless bee hives. Between 2011-2014, a deep inspection of 270 wild and managed hives of the stingless bee Melipona beecheii Bennett, known in Cuba as «Abeja de la Tierra», was carried out. Adult parasites were detected in one of 12 wild hives (8,33%), associated to the physic damage of the cover due to the human predatory action. Seven of 258 managed hives were parasitized (2,71%), two of them with larvae and adults, and only five with adult parasites. Parasitism was associated to the physical damage and recent new founding colonies, so special attention should be paid to these practices.

Keywords : Aethina tumida; Melipona beecheii; parasitism.

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