Varroa mite on honey bee

---

Varroa destructor mite on the abdomen of a honey bee (Apis sp.). Varroa are parasitic mites that attack honey bees causing varroosis and spreading other diseases. They attach to the body of the bee and weaken it by sucking haemolymph, the insect's 'blood'. In doing this the mites can spread many viruses, including Deformed Wing Virus, to the bee. A significant mite infestation will lead to the death of a honey bee colony and may be a contributing factor to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

---

Size: 6743px × 5792px
Location:
Photo credit: © PASCAL GOETGHELUCK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, abdomen, animal, apis, arachnid, background, bee, biological, biology, close-, destructor, detail, ectoparasite, entomological, entomology, fauna, harmful, honey, honeybee, infected, infection, insect, mite, nature, orange, parasite, parasitic, pest, varroa, varroatosis, varroosis, wildlife, zoological, zoology