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Date: | Mon, 30 Apr 2007 23:24:02 -0400 |
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Chris Slade <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
..My memory says that the damage - typically the groove in the carapace
that
>looks as if it might have been made by bee mandibles - would have been
made
>by cleaners disposing of mites that have died for other reasons.
Hello Chris!
You have probably seen the nice photos of mite damage by James. It is fun
to look at the different mite damage and try and explain what may have
happened. The photo depicting a mite with identical mandible indentations
on the mite carapace (IMO) would be more suggestive of a bee grasping a
living mite that was adhering to a bee or another object. Whereas, indent
on the top and bottom might be suggestive of a bee picking up a dead mite
off the floor, as one might pick up a coin. Mites with several legs
bitten off would be more suggestive of a bee purposely manipulating a mite
in order to destroy it, and this would show ‘intention to destroy’ as
opposed to simple damage done in the process of removing debris. So does
the evidence really support that it was done by house cleaners? Perhaps,
it may be difficult to say for sure either way.
However, I
>now recall that last year I was shown a few seconds of fuzzy digital
camera
>video taken by Dr Rodger Dewhurst of an ambulant mite showing such
damage.
Rodger was so very kind to share some of his fascinating work with me
concerning grooming mites, a topic great interest to me. I’m not sure,
but I’m assuming it was in confidence so I don’t speak in detail about
it. I keep meaning to ask if the info is ok to share with others and if
he has anything new on the subject to send my way.
Best Wishes,
Joe Waggle
Derry, PA
“Bees Gone Wild Apiaries”
FeralBeeProject.com
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HistoricalHoneybeeArticles
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