Prevalence and behavioral bioassays of Platybolium alvearium (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in colonies of honeybees (Apis: Hymenoptera: Apidae) in northern Vietnam

Abstract

Platybolium alvearium beetles occur in hives occupied by colonies of Apis cerana in Asia. We quantified beetle abundance in 180 A. cerana and 30 Apis mellifera hives and made behavioral observations in northern Vietnam. Although sometimes common, the beetles were uncommon in A. cerana hives (n = 180) during hive inspections in May/June 2015. In contrast, none were observed in A. mellifera hives. Beetle abundance was greater in more populous A. cerana colonies, a pattern atypical in previous studies of other honeybee associates (i.e., Aethina tumida). A. cerana worker bees did not react to adult beetles upon contact within their colonies. In bioassays, individual beetles preferred (i) comb of endemic A. cerana over comb of introduced A. mellifera and (ii) A. cerana beeswax over paraffin. Our results suggest that P. alvearium beetles are moderately integrated commensals of A. cerana that do not harm their host colonies in Vietnam.

Nature’s solution to degrade long-chain hydrocarbons: A life cycle study of beeswax and plastic eating insect larvae

“…Other than Uloma sp. beetle larvae of Platybolium alvearium and Aethina tumida are also been reported as a pest of honey bee colonies feeding directly on the beeswax comb (Dolson et al 2019;Elzen et al 1999). The strategy behind the beeswax eating behavior of these beetle larvae is not clear, further studies are needed in this regard.…”