Why do wax moths and small hive beetles invade colony collapse disorder hives more slowly than expected?

While colony collapse disorder (CCD) is characterized by the sudden death of a colony and the disappearance of adult bees, it is also uniquely marked by a slower-than-normal invasion of the hive by common pests like wax moths and small hive beetles.12

The specific biological or chemical reason for this delayed infestation remains a subject of ongoing research, and scientists have not reached a definitive conclusion as to why these pests avoid or delay their entry into CCD-affected hives compared to colonies that have died from other causes. Because the exact cause of CCD is unknown, researchers continue to investigate whether the phenomenon is linked to a combination of factors, such as the presence of specific pathogens, environmental stressors, or exposure to pesticides, which may alter the hive environment in ways that temporarily deter these opportunistic pests.123