New tools for Varroa mite management in beekeeping

蜜蜂是现代农业景观中最重要的生态服务提供者之一：它们负责大约90%的授粉，以产生种子和/或高质量的水果和产品。由于养蜂和农业的加强，蜜蜂遭受致命的寄生虫和疾病的折磨，这些疾病可能会导致蜂群突然崩溃。Varroa destructor是一种蜜蜂特有的外部寄生蠕虫，是蜜蜂最严重的病原体之一，因为这种蠕虫会将严重的病毒性疾病传播给蜜蜂。这些尘螨在蜂巢细胞内繁殖，后代与新蜜蜂一起出现。然后，这些成虫寄生在成年工蜂身上，直到它们找到新的蜂巢进行繁殖。成虫有选择地感染“哺乳”蜜蜂--照顾发育中的后代的蜜蜂--从而确保它们能够接触到下一代蜜蜂。螨类通过它们独特的化学特征来识别它们的成虫宿主和幼虫。

Honey bees are among the most important ecological service providers in modern agricultural landscapes: they are responsible for approximately 90% of pollination needed to produce seeds and/or high quality fruit and produce. Due to intensification of beekeeping and agriculture, bees suffer from deadly parasites and diseases that can lead to sudden collapse of bee colonies. Varroa destructor, a honey bee-specific external parasitic mite, is among the most serious disease agents of honey bees, because the mites transmit crippling viral diseases to bees. These mites reproduce within bee brood cells, and the offspring emerge with the new bees. These adult mites then parasitize adult worker bees until they find new bee brood for their reproduction. The adult mites selectively infect 'nurse' bees - bees that care for the developing offspring - thereby ensuring that they have access to the upcoming generation of bees. Mites detect their adult hosts and the brood by their unique chemical signatures.