Science Stock Photography Scientific stock photography library of light microscope pictures and electron microscopy images featuring science and biomedical microscopy photos

Varroa bee mite (Varroa destructor)

Image Number: 261165A

Unauthorized Use Prohibited (see Image Use)
Rights Managed Image - License Required for Use - Photo Credit is Required

Caption:

Varroa bee mite (Varroa destructor) on a honey bee leg. Varroa mites are external honey bee parasites that attack both the adults and the brood. It attacks two types of honey bees, Apis cerana (Asian honey bee) and Apis mellifera (Western or European honey bee). Until recently this species was misidentified as Varroa jacobsoni. The mites suck the blood (hemolymph) from both the adults and the developing brood, weakening and shortening the life span of the ones on which they feed. Varroa mites reproduce on a 10-day cycle. Emerging brood may be deformed with missing legs or wings. Untreated infestations of varroa mites that are allowed to reproduce will kill honey bee colonies. The infection and subsequent parasitic disease caused by varroa mites is called varroatosis. Treatment has had limited success. The Varroa mite has been the parasite with the most pronounced economic impact on the beekeeping industry. It may be a contributing factor to Colony Collapse Disorder that is threatening hives throughout North America. The varroa mite is considered one of the most serious honey bee pests and occurs almost worldwide. Hawaii had been one of the few places where the mite was not known to occur but in 2007 it was found on Oahu.

Keywords:

| 261165A 03.01.07 arachnid arachnids invertebrate invertebrates Apis mellifera Apis Apis cerana Asian honey bee Asian honeybee Western honey bee Western honeybee European honey bee European honeybee honeybee honey bee insect insects pollination honey production varroa mite varroa bee mite varroa bee mites parasite parasitic parasitic mite Varroa jacobsoni hemolymph mite infestation mite infestations honey bee infestation honey bee infestations honey bee mite infestation honeybee infestation honeybee infestations honeybee mite infestaton honeybee mite infestation SEM, beekeeping industry bee keeping industry bee keeping beekeeping honeybee keeping honey bee keeping varroatosis colony collapse disorder honey bee pest honey bee pests honeybee pest honeybee pests insect pest insect pests parasitic disease honeybee colony honeybee colonies honey bee colony honey bee colonies Varroa destructor |

• Scientific Image Library – over 2,200 light microscopy and electron microscopy images of Algae, Arachnids, Bacteria, Crystals, Fungi, Insects, Invertebrates, Medical, Miscellaneous, Plants, Protozoa, Vertebrates, and Viruses. Biological, medical and general sciences images are available for licensed, rights-managed, non-exclusive use.
• Contact us if you can't find an image. Our archives contain thousands of black & white micrographs (colorizations available).
• Assignment Photography – Contact us for custom scientific imaging of samples and products. Dennis Kunkel Ph.D has over 35 years of microscopy expertise in biological and medical sciences.

Dennis Kunkel Microscopy, Inc. is a scientific stock photography agency (science stock photography, science stock photographs / pictures) featuring biology, medical and biomedical microscopy photos / pictures taken with light microscopes (LM) and electron microscopes (transmission electron microscope - TEM; scanning electron microscope - SEM). Microscopy photographs (science images, electron microscope images, photomicrographs, microscopy photos, microscope photos, microscopic pictures) are available for use in editorial and commercial formats. Image categories include Algae, Arachnids, Bacteria, Crystals, Fungi, Insects, Invertebrates, Medical, Miscellaneous, Plants, Protozoa, Vertebrates and Viruses.