Reproduction of Varroa jacobsoni in colonies of Apis cerana indica under natural and experimental conditions

Abstract

In N India natural reproduction of the mite was restricted to drone brood and to springtime. The potential reproduction in worker brood was investigated by artificially induced infection. Since the bees recognized and eliminated any mites originating from other hives, the grafting was performed within the same colony. Even then, 75% of the transferred mites were removed by the bees. Of the remaining Varroa females, 90% were infertile. -from Authors