The first occurrence of the small hive beetle has been observed in Sao Paulo, Brazil on 1^st. March 2015. The beetle was suspected in 46 bee hives. Beetle specimens were sent to the University of São Paulo for taxonomic identification on May 2015. Preliminary results were communicated to the official veterinary service on December 2015. Beetles were sent to the Biological Institute of São Paulo which confirmed the entomological identification of Aethina tumida on 16^th February 2016 in one hive. The main measures applied were quarantine and surveillance within protection zone.  The source of the outbreak is unknown for the moment.

Epidemiological investigations are on-going within a 20km radius of the location of the first infested hive. Adult beetle specimens from an apiary in a neighboring municipality have been sent for identification. Meetings with beekeeper associations and industries were carried out to communicate on the SHB detection, spread and control measures to implement.

More information can be found on the OIE website.

Note prepared by the EU RL for Bee Health (Laboratory of  Anses Sophia Antipolis)

Updated news (29^th December 2015)

This article will no longer be updated. A new article on the surveillance of Aethina tumida in Italy in 2016 has been created here.

To see the details of the outbreaks observed in 2014 and the state of play of the situation early 2015, please click here.