In recent years, beekeeping has been affected by many factors, including pesticides, monocultureand deforestation as well as pests and diseases, which are causing the death of Apis mellifera andother pollinating species. One of the most recent threats is a parasitic beetle of bee colonies, nativeto sub-Saharan Africa, called small hive beetle (Aethina tumida Murray). It was first detected inthe USA in 1996, and it has continued to expand across the American continent. In 2015, it was firstdiscovered in Brazil, being the nearest country to Chile where it has been reported to date. The aimof this work was to carry out a literature review on small hive beetle (SHB) as it can be a potentialthreat to honey bee colonies in Chile. Adults of Aethina tumida feed on bee eggs while the larvaeconsume brood, pollen and honey, causing great damage to bee colonies. In addition, they defecatein honey, where a yeast present in their faeces, Kodamaea ohmerique, causes pollen and honey toferment. Due to the damage it causes and its rapid advance through different continents, its biologyand behaviour are being increasingly studied to explore control techniques and risk factors.In recent years, beekeeping has been affected by many factors, including pesticides, monocultureand deforestation as well as pests and diseases, which are causing the death of Apis mellifera andother pollinating species. One of the most recent threats is a parasitic beetle of bee colonies, nativeto sub-Saharan Africa, called small hive beetle (Aethina tumida Murray). It was first detected inthe USA in 1996, and it has continued to expand across the American continent. In 2015, it was firstdiscovered in Brazil, being the nearest country to Chile where it has been reported to date. The aimof this work was to carry out a literature review on small hive beetle (SHB) as it can be a potentialthreat to honey bee colonies in Chile. Adults of Aethina tumida feed on bee eggs while the larvaeconsume brood, pollen and honey, causing great damage to bee colonies. In addition, they defecatein honey, where a yeast present in their faeces, Kodamaea ohmerique, causes pollen and honey toferment. Due to the damage it causes and its rapid advance through different continents, its biologyand behaviour are being increasingly studied to explore control techniques and risk factors.