![]() ![]() Adult female Varroa mites enter honey bee brood cells (especially drone brood) at the pre-capping stage and lay two to five eggs after the brood cell is capped.The Varroa mite life cycle consists of the following stages: For this reason inspection of drone brood provides the best chance of detecting Varroa mite infections, however, worker brood also provides an effective means of detection. This is due to the drone’s longer brood cycle. Therefore, the entire life cycle of Varroa mite occurs within the honey bee colony.įemale Varroa mites are more likely to lay eggs on drone brood than on worker brood (10–12 times more frequently). The Varroa mite is only able to reproduce on honey bee brood, while only adult female Varroa mites are able to feed on adult honey bees. Varroa mites are parasitic mites, which require a honey bee host to survive and reproduce. Colony symptoms, commonly called parasitic mite syndrome, include an abnormal brood pattern, sunken and chewed cappings and larvae slumped in the bottom or side of the cell. This ultimately causes a reduction in the honey bee population, supersedure of queen bees and eventual colony breakdown and death.ĭifferent life stages of Varroa mites at the bottom of a brood cell. Heavy Varroa mite infestations can build up in 3–4 years and cause scattered brood, crippled and crawling honey bees, impaired flight performance, a lower rate of return to the colony after foraging, a reduced lifespan and a significantly reduced weight of worker bees. Although Varroa mites can feed and live on adult honey bees, they mainly feed and reproduce on larvae and pupae in the developing brood, causing malformation and weakening of honey bees as well as transmitting numerous viruses.Ĭolonies with low infestation generally show very few symptoms, however as the mite population increases symptoms become more apparent. jacobsoni) are tiny red-brown external parasites of honey bees. ![]() Home > Pests > Exotic pests > Varroa mites Varroa mites Background
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