Associations of parameters related to the fall of Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) in Russian and Italian honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies.

Varroa destructor (Anderson and Truman) trapped on bottom boards were assessed as indirect measurements of colony mite populations and mite fall in colonies of Russian and Italian honey bees using 29 candidate measurements. Measurements included damaged and nondamaged younger mites, damaged and nondamaged older mites, fresh mites and all mites, each as a proportion of total mites in the colonies and as a proportion of all trapped mites or all trapped fresh mites. Regression analyses were used to determine the relationships of these candidate measurements to the number of mites in the colonies. The largest positive regressions were found for trapped younger mites (Y) and trapped fresh mites (F). Measurments of Y and F across time could be used to estimate mite population growth for the purposes of selective breeding. The largest negative regressions with colony mites were observed for: trapped older mites/trapped mites (O/T), trapped older mites/trapped younger mites (O/Y), and trapped injured older mites/injured mites (IO/I). O/T and O/Y are significantly higher for Russian honey bee colonies suggesting that they are related to at least some of the mechanisms used by Russian honey bee to resist Varroa population growth. O/T and O/Y have strong negative relationships with colony mites for both Russian honey bee and Italian colonies suggesting that both strains possibly could be selected for reduced colony mites using O/T or O/Y.

Body size variability of Varroa destructor and its role in acaricide tolerance.

Phenotypic plasticity has been defined as the ability of a genotype to produce different phenotypes when exposed to distinct environments throughout its ontogeny. Morphological variability of individuals is an example of this plasticity. Taking into account that several studies have reported a wide morphological variability in Varroa destructor populations, we evaluated if the body size plasticity of the parasite constituted a key factor able to modulate mites survival when they were exposed to a drug bioassays. Drug bioassays against mites were conducted using three different Syzygium aromaticum essential oil concentrations (0.5, 1, and 5 µl/capsule) and controls. After 4 h of exposition, mite mortality was registered. The width (WS) and length (LS) of the dorsal shield were measured in dead mites. General lineal models were carried to determine if V. destructor survival to acaricides was related to the explanatory variables. Data modelling confirmed that WS and LS variables, together with time interaction, were significantly related to V. destructor survival when the parasites were exposed to acaricides. The models proposed demonstrated that for the smaller S. aromaticum essential oil concentration, the larger the parasite body, the greater the probability that it remains alive at the end of the bioassay. Such relationship was inverse for the other two concentrations tested. Possible causes explaining the body size variability in V. destructor individuals were discussed.

Biology and control of Varroa destructor.

The ectoparasitic honey bee mite Varroa destructor was originally confined to the Eastern honey bee Apis cerana. After a shift to the new host Apis mellifera during the first half of the last century, the parasite dispersed world wide and is currently considered the major threat for apiculture. The damage caused by Varroosis is thought to be a crucial driver for the periodical colony losses in Europe and the USA and regular Varroa treatments are essential in these countries. Therefore, Varroa research not only deals with a fascinating host-parasite relationship but also has a responsibility to find sustainable solutions for the beekeeping. This review provides a survey of the current knowledge in the main fields of Varroa research including the biology of the mite, damage to the host, host tolerance, tolerance breeding and Varroa treatment. We first present a general view on the functional morphology and on the biology of the Varroa mite with special emphasis on host-parasite interactions during reproduction of the female mite. The pathology section describes host damage at the individual and colony level including the problem of transmission of secondary infections by the mite. Knowledge of both the biology and the pathology of Varroa mites is essential for understanding possible tolerance mechanisms in the honey bee host. We comment on the few examples of natural tolerance in A. mellifera and evaluate recent approaches to the selection of Varroa tolerant honey bees. Finally, an extensive listing and critical evaluation of chemical and biological methods of Varroa treatments is given. This compilation of present-day knowledge on Varroa honey bee interactions emphasizes that we are still far from a solution for Varroa infestation and that, therefore, further research on mite biology, tolerance breeding, and Varroa treatment is urgently needed.

Morphotypes of Varroa destructor collected in Apis mellifera colonies from different geographic locations of Argentina.

Parasites display considerable phenotypic plasticity in life-history traits such as, body size. Varroa destructor is an ectoparasitic mite of the western honey bee Apis mellifera. Several studies have reported that in V. destructor, there is a wide phenotypic plasticity within a population of mites. However, it is unknown if there are morphologic variations in V. destructor populations affecting different A. mellifera populations. A morphometric study of V. destructor populations was conducted to provide information concerned to the relationships among parasite populations found in different geographic locations from A. mellifera colonies of Argentina. The hypothesis tested was different morphotypes of V. destructor populations parasitizing different A. mellifera populations from Argentina exist. A discriminant analysis employing eight morphologic variables revealed that it is possible to differentiate morphotypes of mites in Argentina. However, the level of discrimination detected among mites population varied according to the grouping of mite's population. Possible causes explaining the morphometric variability in the V. destructor populations were discussed.

Bacterial communities associated with the ectoparasitic mites Varroa destructor and Tropilaelaps mercedesae of the honey bee (Apis mellifera).

Varroa and Tropilaelaps mites have been reported as serious ectoparasites of the honey bee (Apis mellifera). In this study, bacterial communities associated with Varroa destructor and Tropilaelaps mercedesae from northern Thailand were determined, using both culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches. Adult female mites were collected from apiaries in Chiang Mai and Lampang provinces. Culturable bacteria were isolated from individual mites. On average, we observed approximately 1340 and 1140 CFU/mite in Varroa and Tropilaelaps, respectively. All isolates were assigned to the genus Enterococcus. Six samples of genomic DNA from 30-50 mites were extracted and subjected to pyrosequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA amplicons. The resulting 81 717 sequences obtained from Varroa were grouped into 429 operational taxonomic units. The most abundant bacteria in Varroa mites belonged to the family Enterobacteriaceae, especially the genera Arsenophonus, Enterobacter and Proteus. For Tropilaelaps mites, 84 075 sequences were obtained and clustered into 166 operational taxonomic units, within which the family Enterococcaceae (particularly the genus Enterococcus) was predominant. Localization of bacteria in the mites using fluorescence in situ hybridization with two universal bacterial probes revealed that these bacteria were in the cecum of the mites. Taxon-specific Enterobacteriaceae and Arsenophonus probes also confirmed their localization in the cecum of Varroa.