> lower reproductive output was mainly due to the high mite infertility
rates and percentage of unmated daughter mites as well as low mite
fecundity recorded in infested cells.

It's always important to read the M&M of a study.
As long ago pointed out by Jeff Harris and others, such apparent rates of
infertility can be an artifact of the sampling method.
In Nganso's study: "Briefly, 200 worker brood cells containing pupae at the
molting stage were inspected in each colony... We used this stage because
at the time of emergence of the young honeybees from the worker cells, the
foundress mites have already completed their reproduction"

The above methodology does not account for pupae and mites removed due to
hygienic behavior, since they left the capped cells exposed to the
workers.  So the remaining pupae and mites represent only those that
survived hygienic removal.  Thus, it may greatly overestimate mite
infertility.

Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
530 277 4450
ScientificBeekeeping.com

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