>Korea type Varroa destructor mites (the ones mostly found worldwide) reproduced on Apis mellifera and Apis cerana brood, with slightly lower reproductive parameters on the latter. In dramatic contrast, Chinese type mites (found on A. cerana in China) did not reproduce at all on A. mellifera brood.
Interesting the word used in the abstract is sterile.
Just because they do not reproduce now does not mean they will not switch over at some time. Remember V. jacobsoni. We were told it could not reproduce on mellifera but then after many years in Papua New Guinea it did start reproducing. Just needs that one mite to recognise the signals. We are told it was one mite of destructor that made the switch and look what it started. Interestingly for jacobsoni we are told that those mites that now reproduce on mellifera do not reproduce on cerana.
Makes you think about Euvarroa and people telling us they will not reproduce on mellifera. Again is it just a matter of time and one mite recognising the signals?
Trevor Weatherhead
Australia
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