Tracheal Mite (Acarapisosis)
Krankheiten
The tracheal mite Acarapis woodi is a tiny parasite, about a tenth of a millimeter in size, that lives in the front pair of tracheae of adult bees.
The tracheal mite Acarapis woodi is a tiny parasite, about a tenth of a millimeter in size, that lives in the front pair of tracheae of adult bees. The mites enter the breathing openings of young bees, multiply there, and feed on the hemolymph. The tracheae are damaged in the process and turn dark, and breathing capacity declines. The disease is also called acariosis or mite plague.
Light infestation usually goes unnoticed. With heavy infestation, bees unable to fly are especially noticeable after winter and in early spring, crawling and hopping in front of the entrance and gathering in small clusters. A splayed wing posture is often described. Because bacteria and viruses can additionally enter through the damaged tracheae, paralysis symptoms are added. Reliable detection is only possible in the laboratory, through microscopic examination of thorax preparations of the bees.
The tracheal mite occurs in almost all European countries and worldwide; in North America it occurred epidemically in past decades. In Central European beekeeping today it has comparatively little significance, partly because the routine treatment against the Varroa mite with formic acid also affects the tracheal mite.
Preventive measures include careful late-summer management, strong and vigorous colonies, regular renewal of the bee stock through young queens, and caution when buying queens and bee packages from unknown stocks. Severely damaged colonies can usually no longer be saved.
The legal situation depends on the country. In Germany, acariosis is not among the notifiable bee diseases; only American Foulbrood, the Small Hive Beetle, and the Tropilaelaps mite are notifiable there. In Switzerland, tracheal mite disease is considered an animal disease subject to monitoring, and bee inspectors and laboratories there must report cases and suspected cases to the cantonal veterinarian. Anyone moving bees across borders should check the respective requirements.