Dr. Peter Teal, USDA ARS has investigated mite attraction. Questing mites
are strongly attracted to the pheromones secreted by drone larvae shortly
prior to being capped. When another species reacts to a pheromone, it is
called a kairomonal response.
On the mite's native host, A cerana, pheromones secreted by worker larvae
do not normally initiate ovulation in the mite--it takes the drone
pheromone (kairomone) to do so.
--
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com
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