<I am curious as to how this may actually relate to the mite engourgment observations we have been discussing.>

From Claudia Garrido, Peter Rosenkranz, Matthias Stürmer, Ralph Rübsam, Jürgen Büning. Toluidine blue staining as a rapid measure for initiation of oocyte growth and fertility in Varroa jacobsoni Oud. Apidologie, Springer Verlag, 2000, 31 (5), pp.559-566. <10.1051/apido:2000146>. <hal-00891740>

Phoretic mites weighed 325 µg (± 26 µg). Body weight increased to 411 µg (± 30 µg, “early introduction”) and 407 µg (± 27 µg, “delayed introduction”) 24 hours after introduction to a cell.
Its means after 24 hours varroa has this ventral convex due to the increase of the internal pressure linked to the feeding of hemolymph or fat body digested with the help of the salivary glands.
But Charles, if you find so many engorged mites, could it be that a foundress never return to the original weight of a young emerging Varroa from a cell ? Meaning all old foundress keep their body weight after laying at around 410 µg and newly emerged being allways at 325 µg.

Who has this answer ?
Georges

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