In heavily-infested operations in Florida larvae by the thousands have been observed crawling out of colony entrances or across honey house floors in an effort to reach soil to dig in and complete their development. It is cause for concern that the beetle's behavior in Florida has been much more virulent than that reported from Africa. Such is often the case with pest organisms when they are imported to new locations without their natural assembly of diseases, predators, and parasites that keep their populations in check. Do not leave filled supers standing long before extraction. Do not leave cappings exposed for long periods.
Beetles can build up rapidly in stored honey, especially away from protective bees.
Do not stack or store infested supers onto strong colonies. Be aware that supering colonies, making splits, exchanging combs, or use of Porter bee escapes can spread the beetles or provide room for beetles to become established away from the cluster of protective bees. Propagate those queen lines found to be beetle-resistant. Experiment with trapping or cultural control measures. It may be possible to trap beetle larvae as they attempt to reach soil and pupate.