The occurrence of ecto-parasitic Leptus sp. mites on Africanized honey bees

Honey bee-mite-pathogen associations have led to the widespread collapse of Apis mellifera colonies in various parts of the world. The global trade in bees continues to expose honey bees to new pests and pathogens. Here we highlight to the beekeeping community a potential new mite-pathogen association. In South America, ecto-parasitic Leptus mite larvae have been recorded parasitizing adult honey bees and these mites are known to transmit Spiroplasma bacteria, the causative agent of “Mays disease” in bees. Here we provide new data and review past studies on Leptus mites, and discuss the potential risk to A. mellifera that this mite may pose in the future.