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Date: | Fri, 18 Jul 1997 11:56:20 -0700 |
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Pseudoscorpions DO occur in North America. If you look really close at
them, they might startle you and cause alarm with a claws-up pose (like
a threatened crab, but about 3 mm or less than 1/4 inch long). An
animatronic (giant model) one was cast as a threat in the movie "Honey I
shrunk the kids" (battle with an ant). They can't hurt people as far as
I know.
I can't imagine how they could have relevance to Varroa control, except
perhaps they might be one of the predators that could clean up any
varroa that dropped onto the ground through a mesh bottom board.
They haven't been reported as being found in bee hives (as have dozens
of other species, mostly free-living mites just using the space).
The ones I've seen have not been red. There are other red mites (like
velvet mites) that might explain the original observation. If they are
fast moving, I think they are likely to be predators of other tiny
arthropods.
Kerry Clark, Apiculture Specialist
B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
1201 103 Ave
Dawson Creek B.C.
V1G 4J2 CANADA Tel (250) 784-2231 fax (250) 784-2299
INTERNET [log in to unmask]
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