OBSERVATIONS ON MITES OF THE ASIAN HONEYBEE SPECIES (Apis cerana, Apis dorsata, Apis florea)

Abstract

Capped worker brood cells taken from 6 A.cerana colonies (in modern hives) in Sri Lanka were examined; Varroa jacobsoni mites (no reproductive stages) were present in a few worker cells from 2 colonies. Worker and drone brood from 5 colonies in Java were also examined. The numbers of mites were highest in drone cells, and reproductive stages were present only in drone cells. Drone cells containing dead pupae had not been uncapped by the bees, so mites present in these cells had died.Euvarrhoa sinhai was found in low numbers in all A.florea colonies examined (first report for Sri Lanka); Tropilaelaps koenigerum was present in 5 of 6 A.dorsata colonies. Neocypholaelaps indica (a pollen feeder) was found in colonies of all 3 Apis species; it has not previously been recorded on A.dorsata and A.florea.P. Walker.