Transcript
Tracheal mites (Acarapis woodi) infest and breed in the tracheae of honey bees. (Tracheae are fine tubes in the insect’s body that convey air to the tissues.) It’s not possible to diagnose a tracheal mite infestation without microscopic dissection.
In this video, we demonstrate the dissection of a honey bee worker for tracheal mite infestation. This technique is based on that of Dr. Diana Sammataro of USDA-ARS. The best time to sample for tracheal mites is early spring or when symptoms appear and you suspect an infestation. A dissecting microscope with good lighting is necessary, as are very fine forceps for dissection.
Colony level symptoms are not reliable for diagnosing tracheal mite infestation. That said, symptoms may include failure to thrive, bees crawling in near the entrance of the colony, and wings in a “K” formation. Symptoms also may be confused with other colony level problems such as parasitic mite syndrome or pesticide exposure.
Knowing the levels of tracheal mites in your apiary and understanding the effects of their presence will enable you to make an educated decision on your treatment plan. Keeping pests and pathogens in check is necessary for strong, healthy honey bee colonies. For help with a diagnosis, please contact the Oregon State University Honey Bee Lab for more information: (541) 737-1447.
References: Sammataro, D. 2006. An easy dissection technique for finding the tracheal mite, Acarapis woodi (Rennie) (Acari: Tarsonemidae), in honey bees, with video link. Internat. J. Acarol. 32 (4): 1-5.
