Beekeeping Pests in Uganda

Common Pests in Wampiti - Nakasongola

Small waxmoth

Damage caused by large wax moth

Mouse

Mammals, reptiles, and birds: There are a wide variety of pests and predators (besides infectious microorganisms) known to attack adult honeybees, bee brood in all stages, materials stored in the hive and even the hive itself. Some of these organisms may simply use the hive as a place to live or as a shelter for their own young; but some may cause harm by feeding on honey, pollen, brood remains or beeswax. Almost all hives are attacked by the pests but the severity of the pest attack varies from hive to hive and from apiary to apiary. We have found that traditional log hives are less attacked by the wax moth and black ants compared to top bar hives. 

Below is a discussion of pests which affect bees, specifically in WBA communities.

Blank ants

Black ants are one number one honeybee pests causing economic losses to beekeepers. They suck out the honey and kill the pupae and eggs. They are too small to be stopped by beehive guards and in many cases make the bees leave the hive. They nest on top bars between the bars and the cover or in one corner inside the hive. Their pupa messes up honey during harvesting therefore the beekeeper should be careful which working.

Small brown and black beetles

Large beetle

The large hive beetle (Oplostomus fuligineus) (20mm long) and the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) are common pests. They cause damage to combs and setup fermentation of stored honey. Both types of hive beetles eat pollen and honey, but the Oplostomus species also eats brood. Bees can be seen trying to remove Aethina but its hard slippery carapale makes it impossible to grasp. Aethina lays eggs on occupied combs and in cracks and crevices. 

Large waxmoth

The greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) and the lesser wax moth (Achroia grisella) are opportunistic pests and will quickly lay eggs on older, abandoned honey combs where a weak colony is in residence. Both types of wax moths are generally found wherever there are honey bees and particularly in warm conditions. In the wild, the wax moth plays a part in completely destroying old, useless combs and bees will eventually reoccupy the clean nesting site and build new combs. Bees in a strong colony are able to remove small wax moth larvae from the hive. Strong colonies are therefore the best defense against infestation of wax moth. When the moths do succeed in gaining entry to a beehive they lay their eggs on the combs and in cracks in the hive body. The wax moth larvae burrow their way through the wax leaving trails of silken tunnels and black fecal droppings. Their preferred food is found in old brood combs where they eat the pupae cases in the brood cells. The growing larvae become more voracious until the comb is destroyed and all the remains are a mass of silken webbing and feces. The mature larvae of the both wax moth cause great damage to wooden bars and hive bodies. They curve out depressions in the wood, settle into the depressions and spin their final cocoons. The hive bodies and bars become weak which makes them weak and useless. These bars are difficult to clean! 

Birds feed on the bees especially those that forage for nectar. These birds strategically position themselves near the hives and capture the bees that are flying out or into the hive. This greatly reduces the population of the bees in the hives, resulting in reduction of production in the hives.   But this is not so much a big problem compared to black ants and termites in Nakasongola since some bee-eater species are becoming extinct. 

Top bar hive damaged by termites

The termites feed on the equipment used in beekeeping especially those made out of wood, for example the beehives. The termites do not eat the honey or the bees themselves, but they are agents of bio-degradation of wood since many of the beehives are made typically of wood. Hives placed on the ground or bee equipment left lying on the ground or stacked directly on the ground may be subject to termite infestation. Termites destroy the bodies of the hive, and build piles of soil in the hive which inconveniences the bees and eventually abscond. The hive may also collapse and drop to the ground after being eaten by the termites.