Ecology, Life History, and Management of Tropilaelaps Mites

Abstract

Parasitic mites are the major threat to the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera L. For much of the world, Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman single-handedly inflicts unsurmountable problems to A. mellifera beekeeping. However, A. mellifera in Asia is also faced with another genus of destructive parasitic mite, Tropilaelaps. The life history of these two parasitic mites is very similar, and both have the same food requirements (i.e., hemolymph of developing brood). Hence, parasitism by Tropilaelaps spp., especially Tropilaelaps mercedesae and Tropilaelaps clareae, also results in death of immature brood or wing deformities in infested adult bees. The possible introduction of Tropilaelaps mites outside their current range heightens existing dilemmas brought by Varroa mites. In this review, we provide historic, as well as current information on the taxonomic status, life history, distribution and host range, diagnosis, and control of Tropilaelaps mites. Because the biology of Tropilaelaps mites is not well known, we also suggest areas of research that demand immediate attention. Any biological information about Tropilaelaps mites will provide useful information for the development of control measures against them.

Individual-Level Comparisons of Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) Hygienic Behavior Towards Brood Infested with Varroa destructor (Parasitiformes: Varroidae) or Tropilaelaps mercedesae (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae)

“…Viral replication, which has also been reported to increase the likelihood of mite detection inside brood [44], is triggered by feeding of the parasite on its host, and so may also be involved in T. mercedesae recognition by A. cerana. In every case, the stronger hygienic behavior of A. cerana towards T. mercedesae offers an additional explanation for the fact that A. cerana colonies, in general, appear to be more resistant to mites of the genus Tropilaelaps than colonies of the western honey bee [26]. The relative importance of hygienic behavior with regard to other resistance mechanisms, including other mechanisms suppressing mite reproduction, will be an important subject of future research.…”

“…Our bioassay involved the transfer of mites from early capped stages of donor brood to similar stages of recipient brood. As reproduction of both V. destructor and T. mercedesae started shortly after cell capping [26,32], the transfer might have interrupted reproduction, thereby influencing the onset of reproduction-related removal stimuli. From earlier experiments, we know that most transferred mites nevertheless manage to produce viable offspring.…”

Diversity and Global Distribution of Viruses of the Western Honey Bee, Apis mellifera

“…The mechanisms of dispersal of viruses of honey bees could be investigated by studying the prevalence and biogeography of newly described viruses that do not yet occur globally. The spread of invasive species such as Vespa velutina and Apis florea [113,168] and vectors such as V. destructor and T. mercedesae is also alarming, as these species are known to be infected by viruses of A. mellifera [138,172,173].…”

<em>Varroa destructor</em>: A Complex Parasite, Crippling Honey bees Worldwide

“…Another parasitic mite with multiple species, Tropilaelaps spp., has shown similar patterns, shifting from its original host, the Giant honey bee (Apis dorsata) to A. mellifera. Currently, only two of four species (T. mercedesae and T. clarae) parasitize the A. mellifera [92], with T. mercedesae exhibiting a wider geographical distribution, which is still limited to East Asia. Nevertheless, urgent research on how this pest has adapted to its new host is critical.…”