A STUDY ON VARROA MITE AFFECTING HONEY BEE APIS MELLIFERA AND THEIR COLONY BY USING LIGHT AND SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY.

The European honey bee, Apis mellifera is the most important social insect among the primary pollinators of crops providing sustainability to the ecosystem. The gradual decrease in populations of honey bees as a result of an ectoparasitic infestation by the Varroa (Acari) mite is a significant concern for beekeepers worldwide. In this context, the present work in this study was designed with the main objective to understand the morphology and ultra-structure of the Varroa mite, the results of which may give some insights into its management and control. To conduct this study, honey bee colonies from apiaries located in, and nearby regions of Lucknow district, Uttar Pradesh were selected for collection of test populations. Light Microscopy was used for morphological identification, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate the ultrastructure of the collected Varroa mite specimens. Light and scanning electron microscopy showed numerous structures which were optimized for ectoparasitism. The adult mite was flattened, had a dorsal shield having a dome-shaped appearance, and a flat ventral surface composed of numerous plates. Mouthparts appeared to be well-modified and used to feed the bee hemolymph. The morphology of the mite revealed four pairs of legs along with the presence of irregular setae throughout its body. This preliminary investigation revealed the presence of one of the most damaging genera of mites viz., Varroa mite on honey bees in the selected colonies of the study area. The study of the morphology and ultrastructure of the mite provides additional insights into the taxonomy of the parasite as well as provides information for future parasite management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]