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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