Attractiveness of CO2and Synthetic honey bee (Apis MelliferaL.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) cuticular hydrocarbons to the honey bee tracheal mite,Acarapis woodi(Rennie) (Acari: Tarsonemidae)

Abstract

Abstract Despite the devastation caused by the honey bee tracheal mite, Acarapis woodi, over its range, it is difficult to detect and little is known about what attracts the mite to its host. Based on previous studies of tracheal mites and of other blood sucking arthropods, we developed bioassay procedures to study the attractiveness of CO2 and of honey bee cuticular hydrocarbons to dispersing tracheal mites. The CO2 assay consisted of a three-choice test between streams of air, a CO2 /air mix, and a no-gas control. Air was chosen most frequently overall. Weighted scores were calculated based on the strength and frequency of response, and in this case the CO2 /air mixture was favored. Known hydrocarbon mixtures and hexane extracts of bees were applied to pipecleaners and inserted into small test hives. No tracheal mites were recovered from any of these, failing to support other studies that found these substances to be attractive in the lab. The results are discussed in relation to what is known about the...