State alerts beekeepers of discovery of ‘economically significant’ pest
Laura Weingartner
907-474-6009
Oct. 3, 2025
Small hive beetles infest a honeycomb.
A beetle that harms honey bees has been found in Alaska, according to the Alaska Division of Agriculture.
Small hive beetles eat pollen, bee eggs, larvae and pupae (bee brood), and honey inside the hive. Their activity turns the honey foul and slimy. Their presence can lead to colony loss and reduced honey production, resulting in financial losses for the beekeeper. The division published a that provides information about how to prevent and control the small hive beetle.
“The goal is to prevent the establishment of this pest in Alaska,” said Alex Wenninger, an entomologist with the 51 Cooperative Extension Service and co-author of the pest alert.
This is the first known instance of the small hive beetle in Alaska. It was discovered at an apiary in the Copper River area that had acquired bee packages from Mississippi.
Alaska has regulations designed to prevent honey bee pests and diseases from entering or spreading throughout the state. These include requiring beekeepers to register their colonies annually and notify the division before relocating bees within the state. All imported bees are required to have a health certificate signed by a qualified apiary inspector.
Yeasts and other microorganisms carried on the small hive beetle larvae have turned this honey foul and slimy.
Bee packages imported to or overwintered in the Copper River region should be considered potential sources of the small hive beetle and monitored carefully.
Small hive beetles lay their eggs in cracks and crevices of the hive or in pollen and brood comb — the beeswax structure where the queen lays her eggs. The larvae spend 4-5 days feeding. Yeasts and other microorganisms carried on the larvae at this stage cause the stored honey to turn foul. Even though honey bees are hygienic, they won’t clean slimy comb. The larvae then find a place to pupate in the soil and emerge as flying adults that can detect hives up to 10 miles away. When a hive is found, the cycle resumes.
Inspecting hives for the rice-grain-like larvae and the brown, oval, antennaed adult beetles can help with detection.
“Beekeepers should keep an eye out for this pest and report any sightings to the Alaska Division of Agriculture at DNR.Ag.SSC@alaska.go ,” Wenninger said. They can also take photographs and collect specimens in rubbing alcohol or high-proof spirits.
The report is available to read on the .
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