D3040: Monitoring of honey bee pathogens and evalutaion of potential miticide toxicity to Aethina tumida in South Korea

Aethina tumida , the small hive beetle (SHB) is an invasive pest that infests honey bee colonies, transmitting various pathogens and causing serious damage across apicultural activities, including queen management, hive product yield, and pollination. In 2016, SHB was first detected in Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, raising concerns about its potential threat to the domestic beekeeping industry. Nevertheless, public awareness and scientific research on SHB remain limited within Korea. After nationwide monitoring in 2024 confirmed that SHB infestations were restricted to the Miryang region, with no evidence of spread to other areas. This study aimed to investigate the presence of 14 honey bee pathogens in SHB specimens collected from Miryang. In addition to evaluating the toxicity of three commonly used chemicals (Amitraz, Coumaphos, and Fluvalinate) against both adult and larval stages of SHB, we also tested the larval toxicity of a soil insecticide. Pathogen screening revealed that the beetles majorly carried a honey bee pathogen, Black queen cell virus (BQCV). Toxicity assays estimated the LC₅₀ values for each chemical and demonstrated that larvae exhibited higher resistance to the treatments compared to adults. However, larvae showed marked sensitivity to the soil-applied insecticide, indicating its potential as a targeted control option. This study investigates the pathogen carriage and insecticide susceptibility of SHB in South Korea, providing foundational data to support future pest management strategies and honey bee health protection in apiculture.