A second infestation of the small hive beetle on Kauai has been detected, the state Department of Agriculture said Tuesday.
The department announced Friday that the pest known for devouring the insides of beehives had officially been documented for the first time on Kauai.
State agriculture officials plan to assess whether there are additional infestations and the feasibility of controlling or containing the problem, said Darcy Oishi, chief of the department’s biological control section.
The beetle was first seen on Hawaii island two years ago, and it subsequently spread to Oahu, Maui and Molokai.
According to a 2007 department estimate, about 7 out of 10 Hawaii food crops depend on bee pollination.
The first discovery of the small hive beetle on Kauai was made when a beekeeper in Lihue noticed unusual beetles on some of his beekeeping equipment May 21 and reported the incident May 22.
Entomologists for the department in Honolulu examined samples and confirmed the pest’s identity.
The initial discovery prompted concern that potentially infected hive material had been moved elsewhere on Kauai, and the second infestation was subsequently confirmed. Officials did not say where the second infestation was found.
"Once it gets established, it is very hard to control," Oishi said of the pest, which feeds on honey, pollen, wax, honeybee eggs and larvae within the hive, effectively destroying it.
Oishi said honey production in Hawaii took a slight dip last year, but it is unclear what factors might have come into play. A drought, for instance, can have a much bigger effect on honey production than the beetle, he said.
The small hive beetle originated in sub-Saharan Africa and was first spotted in the U.S. in 1996 in South Carolina.
It is now found in many Southern and central states and California.
Although Australia and parts of Canada are also infested, Oishi said Asia and Europe remain free of the pest.
Beekeepers who notice any suspicious beetles or larvae inside bee colonies should email the state Department of Agriculture at hdoa.ppc@hawaii.gov or call 973-9525 on Oahu or 274-3072 on Kauai.
Symptoms of small hive beetle infestation include discolored honey, an odor of decaying oranges, and fermentation and frothiness in the honey, the department said.
"We have been working with the beekeepers to get them more informed, but again, it’s like hearing a doctor tell you, ‘Eat right, get more exercise,’" Oishi said. "It makes sense, but that’s not what people really want to hear."
