Identification of Tropilaelaps mites (Acari, Laelapidae) infesting Apis mellifera in China
Qi Hua LUO, et al. Apidologie Online First™, 5 July 2011

Tropilaelaps mite samples were collected from 72 locations in 25 provinces throughout China. Based on these identified diagnostic characters, all samples in this study corresponded to T. mercedesae, which has been mistaken for T. clareae until now.

Recently, the health of honeybee is drawing special attention because of reported declines in bee colonies and the “ecosystem services” they provide. This issue has been brought to even more attention by recent devastating losses of honey bees throughout North America; yet, we still have little understanding of the cause(s) of bee declines. 

Although there were no reports of high losses in China, honeybee health has gained special attention in the past 3 years. Although Tropilaelaps is one of the major threats for the health of A. mellifera in Asia, it has received comparatively little scientific interest to date and basic studies are still lacking. Several areas of research should be addressed.

The relationship among Tropilaelaps mites, A. dorsata and A. mellifera is not clear, and how Tropilaelaps actually damages these hosts. Next, we need to deter- mine whether any of these newly described Tropilaelaps species will also cross-infest the endemic domesticated honeybee, A. cerana.

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