A new beetle species associated with honey bees (Vietnam)

Beetles, possibly of an undescribed species, frequently inhabit honeybee (Apis cerana) hives in Vietnam. They walk over and around honeybees in their nest with no apparent harm to the bee colony. Surveys of beekeepers and their hives will enable us to determine the distribution and incidence of the beetles. A number of biossays will provide information on the tightness of the relationship between the two insect species (e.g., preference of beetles for various foods; honey bees vs. other bees; beeswax vs. paraffin; etc.). We will rear the beetles to unravel their life cycle. The beetle will be identified and if it is a species new to science, it will be formally described. The proposed research will greatly enhance our understanding of this apparently unique bee-beetle relationship. In turn, this enhanced knowledge should improve understanding of the highly detrimental small hive beetle, a pest of western honeybees.

Faculty Supervisor:

Gard Otis

Student:

Sarah Dolson

Partner:

Discipline:

Biology

Sector:

University:

University of Guelph

Program:

Globalink