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

摘要

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.