Data from: Bees and flowers: how to feed an invasive beetle species

Invasive species may exploit a wide range of food sources, thereby
fostering their success and hampering mitigation, but the actual degree of
opportunism is often unknown. The small hive beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida,
is a parasite of honeybee colonies endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. SHBs
have now spread on all habitable continents and can also infest colonies
of other social bees. To date, the possible role of solitary bee nests as
alternative hosts is unknown. Similarly, flowers as possible alternative
food sources are not well understood. Here, we show that SHBs can complete
an entire life cycle in association with nests of solitary bees Megachile
rotundata. The data also show that flowers can serve as alternative food
sources. These results support the opportunistic nature of this invasive
species, thereby generating further obstacles for mitigation efforts in
the field. It also suggests that SHB invasions may result in more serious
consequences for endemic bee fauna than previously thought. This provides
further motivation to slow down the global spread of this pest, and to
improve its management in areas, where it is established.