Microsope images of a mite

[loving_allsorts]

Today I decided I would take the solid base off the hive and exchange it for a meshed bottom. This gave me the opportunity to evaluate the Mite drop (I'm on the fourth week of treating right now.

I was supprised to find only three dead mites and one alive one. I caught the little get, put him on the microscope and took a few images for your viewing pleasure.

I'm an amature and woud appreciate the support of my opinion (if it is correct) that this is varroa? It was smaller than the dead ones I found by half, but I'm assuming it is young varroa? more red than orange but on the verge. Opinions welcome.

Enjoy.

above and below are X40 lense and show the 'mandibles?' and a leg

Comments welcome

Cheers

Mark

 

[CB008]

Is that a Varroa or a different mite - I thought, probably incorrectly, that a varroa had the orientation of a crab

 

[Tom Bick]

Yes you are correct CB008 they are great images Mark but alas not Varroa.

 

[CB008]

Are they arcane mites ?

 

[petersbees]

IMHO it looks like Braula coeca a wingless fly that lives harmlessly on adult bees. Sometimes called the bee louse. Found it in the Fera managing varroa booklet

 

[Hivemaker.]

Does not look much like Braula to me,looks more like one of the common pollen mites.

http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/beemites/Species_Accounts/Laelapidae.htm

http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/beemites/Species_Accounts/Pneumolaelaps.htm

 

[huntsman666]

I'm going for Braula coeca.

Varroa's shape is more like a tiny brown-crab.

Great pictures, thanks.

 

[beebreeder]

Has anyone looked at pollen beetles under a scope, very similar to the images above

 

[beeatshellards]

great pictures has anyone a picture of pollen beetles

 

[Hivemaker.]

Plenty of them in the link below,but it's not a beetle is it.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=po...63Kcin0AWktvSXCA&ved=0CEAQsAQ&biw=800&bih=403

 

[Ruary]

It is certainly NOT varroa nor is it Braula as it has 8 legs and braula is an insect (six legs). It is also not an acraine mite. The hive floor has many mites and this is probably one of the scavenging mites.
Ruary

 

[Flatters]

I am going for red spider mite :- Tetranychidae

 

[loving_allsorts]

Thanks for the response guys, I'm eager to find out what it is then because I found two varroa, which looked identical to the ones in the DEFRA leaflet, however, this one, like I said earlier, was about half the size, but it was really moving until I caught it with tweezers. Didnt seem to damage it though, the tweezers.. I'm pretty sure it is a mite of some variety, now most of you folk agree it is not Varroa I'm exceptionally interested to find out what it IS so that I can make sure it' not a danger to my ladies.

Are there any inspectors on this forum? Could somebody point them in the direction of the images, maybe they could identify it.

Cheers

Mark

 

[loving_allsorts]

its not that because it didn't splatter when I used the tweezers to pick it up

 

[Flatters]

I am sure it is only red spider mites which scavange on the monitor board when it is in. I don't think they cause any problem to the the bees.

 

[Tom Bick]

Does not look much like Braula to me,looks more like one of the common pollen mites.

http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/beemites/Species_Accounts/Laelapidae.htm

http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/beemites/Species_Accounts/Pneumolaelaps.htm

I say hivemaker got it right and it is a pollen mite. You do see them from time and no danger to your bees just natures way of cleaning up.

 

[Flatters]

Yep I think I am wrong and the pollen mite is the one.

 

[Waxing]

Phew! Apiguard having been on a week I did my first count today. I was surprised that all the "Varroa" mites didn't float in meths as I had read so often. Now I'm hoping that the vast quantity of mites were not, in fact, varroa.! Hopefully good news.

 

[loving_allsorts]

I've just reviewed the photos and noticed something. The end of the legs seem to be shaped like they are used to 'grip' onto something. What I mean to say, if this was a mite which was a scavenger on pollen and not on the bee, why would it have these gripping appendages?

It's just an idea. I take it we still don't have any mite experts or bee hive inspectors in the house that may be able to properly identify this bad boy? Cheers

Mark