Tracheal Mites

Tracheal Mites#

1 . What is Acarapis woodi?

Tracheal mite which is one of the three Acarapis species found on honey bees. The condition in which colonies are infested with tracheal mites is termed Acariosis or Acarine disease.

2 . What caused the US to issue the Honey bee act of 1922?

Losses of honey bee colonies were massive in Europe due to tracheal mites. The US, to protect its honey bee population, banned all importation of honey bees into the US.

3 . Where and when were tracheal mites first identified in the US?

Texas allegedly imported from Mexico in 1984 It only took 5 years for tracheal mites to spread throughout the US. Research demonstrated that the rapid spread was due to shipping mail orders of honey bees throughout the US.

4 . Where is the only anatomic location in which the tracheal mite lives?

Within the trachea and spiracles of the honey bee. The female mite grabs the hair of a passing bee and crawls toward the exiting CO2 of a spiracle.

5 . Describe the life cycle of Acarapis woodi.

Newly emerged female tracheal mites exit the tracheal tube in “quest” of a newly emerged drone or worker bee to parasitize. The mite enters the tracheal tube via one of the spiracles and produces eggs. Eggs hatch in the tracheal tubes in 3-4 days and become larvae and pass into a nymph stage. Female and immature mites live in the tracheal tube of the honey bee and pierce the tracheal wall to feed on the hemolymph. This scars the spiracle and clogs it with debris. This also causes secondary infections and thus decreases oxygen supply to the tissue Honey bee life is decreased due to inability to breathe because of blocked and infected trachea.

6 . What are the symptoms of Acarapis woodi infestation in the colony?

Dwindling bee populations Weak bees crawling in front of the hive K-wing adults- adult wings remain partially open in a K configuration.

7 . Name some of the methods to control tracheal mites (Acarapis woodi).

  • Menthol oil extract (Mite-a thol)

  • Formic acid gel packs (MAQs and Formic pro)

  • Essential oils- Api-life-VAR (74% thymol) and Apiguard (25% thymol)

  • Crisco patties (sugar and vegetable shortening)

  • Buckfast Bees (mite resistant bee stock)