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

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.