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Ectoparasitic Mites Varroa underwoodi (Acarina: Varroidae) in Eastern Honeybees, but not in Western Honeybees.
Journal article

Ectoparasitic Mites Varroa underwoodi (Acarina: Varroidae) in Eastern Honeybees, but not in Western Honeybees.

  • Wang S College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Yuhangtang Road 866, Hangzhou 310058, China.
  • Lin Z College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Yuhangtang Road 866, Hangzhou 310058, China.
  • Dietemann V Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Center, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, 3003 Bern, Switzerland.
  • Neumann P Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
  • Wu Y College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Yuhangtang Road 866, Hangzhou 310058, China.
  • Hu F College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Yuhangtang Road 866, Hangzhou 310058, China.
  • Zheng H College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Yuhangtang Road 866, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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  • 2018-10-03
Published in:
  • Journal of economic entomology. - 2019
Animals
Bees
Female
Genetic Variation
Host-Parasite Interactions
Male
Varroidae
English The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Acarina: Varroidae) shifted host from Eastern honeybees Apis cerana Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to Western honeybees Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae) with disastrous consequences globally. The high genetic diversity of V. destructor and abundant opportunities for cross-species transmission probably promoted this host shift. Whether Varroa underwoodi (Acarina: Varroidae) also exhibits these traits is unknown. Here, we conduct a large-scale survey across China on the occurrence, morphology, reproduction, and genetics of V. underwoodi in A. cerana and A. mellifera colonies to fill gaps in our knowledge of this mite and to determine whether host shifts occurred. Despite the large number of colonies screened, V. underwoodi was exclusively found in A. cerana, where it occurred at low infestation rates. Three genetic clades were detected in the V. underwoodi population, which differed neither in morphology nor in reproductive ability. Nevertheless, the genetic diversity of V. underwoodi is likely to increase chances for host shifts, even though opportunities for cross-species transmission seem low. More studies of the neglected Varroa species seem appropriate to enable a better understanding of host shifts in the Apis spp./Varroa spp. system and evaluate the potential risk they pose to apiculture with A. mellifera.
Language
  • English
Open access status
closed
Identifiers
Persistent URL
https://sonar.ch/global/documents/5913
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