First record of the sap beetle Phenolia picta invading Eastern honey bee (Apis cerana) (Hymenoptera, Apidae) colonies

Abstract

In Asia, the sap beetle Phenolia (Lasiodites) picta (Macleay) (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae) (hereafter P. picta) is endemic to the southeastern Palaearctic and northeastern Oriental regions. It is commonly found in orchards and plantations, where it feeds on ripe or rotten fruits. Here, P. picta was recorded for the first time to invade the hive of the Eastern honey bee (Apis cerana). Both DNA barcode and morphological data were used to identify the beetle, with the DNA barcoding comparison to the P. picta sequence in the BOLD library reaching 100% similarity. Additionally, the body sizes were measured, with the males averaging 7.87 ± 0.21 mm in length and the females averaging 8.27 ± 0.15 mm. The beetle’s body colour is primarily brownish with yellowish to pale orange spots on the elytra. P. picta invades the honey bee hive, feeds on honey and bee pupae, and tunnels through the comb, which causes the honey bees to abandon their hive. Such invasions could have severe impacts on honey bee colonies. This report provides essential information for beekeepers to use when identifying P. picta, which could be useful for preventing and controlling parasitic beetles.