Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
J Insect Sci. 2022 Jan 1;22(1). doi: 10.1093/jisesa/ieab101.
Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) is arguably the most damaging parasitic mite that attacks honey bees worldwide. Since its initial host switch from the Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Varroa has become a widely successful invasive species, attacking honey bees on almost every continent where apiculture is practiced. Two haplotypes of V. destructor (Japanese and Korean) parasitize A. mellifera, both of which vector various honey bee-associated viruses. As the population of Varroa grows within a colony in the spring and summer, so do the levels of viral infections. Not surprisingly, high Varroa parasitization impacts bees at the individual level, causing bees to exhibit lower weight, decreased learning capacity, and shorter lifespan. High levels of Varroa infestation can lead to colony-wide varroosis and eventually colony death, especially when no control measures are taken against the mites. Varroa has become a successful parasite of A. mellifera because of its ability to reproduce within both drone cells and worker cells, which allows populations to expand rapidly. Varroa uses several chemical cues to complete its life cycle, many of which remain understudied and should be further explored. Given the growing reports of pesticide resistance by Varroa in several countries, a better understanding of the mite's basic biology is needed to find alternative pest management strategies. This review focuses on the genetics, behavior, and chemical ecology of V. destructor within A. mellifera colonies, and points to areas of research that should be exploited to better control this pervasive honey bee enemy.
瓦螨（蜱螨目：瓦螨科）可说是对全世界蜜蜂危害最大的寄生螨。自它从亚洲蜜蜂（中华蜜蜂）（膜翅目：蜜蜂科）宿主转移到西方蜜蜂（意大利蜜蜂）（膜翅目：蜜蜂科）以来，瓦螨已成为广泛成功的入侵物种，在几乎所有从事养蜂业的大陆上都攻击蜜蜂。瓦螨有两种（日本和韩国）种群寄生在意大利蜜蜂上，它们都携带各种与蜜蜂相关的病毒。随着瓦螨在春季和夏季在蜂群内的数量增长，病毒感染水平也随之上升。毫不奇怪，高寄生率的瓦螨会对个体蜜蜂产生影响，导致蜜蜂体重下降、学习能力下降和寿命缩短。高水平的瓦螨寄生会导致整个蜂群的瓦螨病，并最终导致蜂群死亡，尤其是在没有采取控制螨虫措施的情况下。瓦螨之所以能成为意大利蜜蜂的成功寄生虫，是因为它能够在雄蜂和工蜂细胞内繁殖，这使得种群能够迅速扩张。瓦螨利用几种化学线索来完成其生命周期，其中许多仍然研究不足，应该进一步探索。鉴于在几个国家都有关于瓦螨对杀虫剂产生抗药性的报道，因此需要更好地了解螨虫的基础生物学，以寻找替代的害虫管理策略。本综述重点介绍了瓦螨在意大利蜜蜂群体中的遗传学、行为和化学生态学，并指出了应该加以利用的研究领域，以更好地控制这种普遍存在的蜜蜂敌害。
