Merced County California has detected Small Hive Beetle or SHB (Aethina
tumida Murray)
during a routine apiary strength inspection of 198 colonies on 2-28-01.
CDFA Meadowview lab confirmed the sample on 3-2-01.  The bees were
originally purchased from an out-of-business Florida based
operation.  The colonies traveled from Florida to Maine to
North Dakota and then to California in October of 2000.