Bumble Bee mites

863 posts
15 years
Norfolk

Posted 27/03/2012 - 15:20 Link

Saw this Bumble Bee earlier covered in eggs, then noticed a mite crawling about on it. Thought it might be the varroa virus which is spreading everywhere, but looks to be harmless (according to Google, at least)

[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/bee1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp15/chriseast/bee2.jpg[/IMG]

Frogherder Frogherder

1776 posts
17 years
Burton upon Trent

Posted 27/03/2012 - 15:27 Link

Big fleas have little fleas,
Upon their backs to bite 'em,
And little fleas have lesser fleas,
and so, ad infinitum.

Lovely pictures though, if varroa, hardly harmless - see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diseases_of_the_honey_bee

regards
Bernard

milamber milamber

863 posts
15 years
Norfolk

Posted 27/03/2012 - 17:44 Link

Frogherder wrote:
Big fleas have little fleas,
Upon their backs to bite 'em,
And little fleas have lesser fleas,
and so, ad infinitum.

Lovely pictures though, if varroa, hardly harmless - see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diseases_of_the_honey_bee

regards
Bernard

I don't think it is varroa, though. Fairly common mite it seems and quite harmless. Comes off if you wash the bee in warm water, apparently, though who first tried that I have no idea....