what are the bits on the bumble bee

[lakelander]

View attachment 9975

I had this picture sent to me asking what the bits are on the side of this bumble bee.

Anyone have any ideas

Thanks

 

[Cazza]

They are mites I think. There was a recent thread about this. Harmless apparently.
Cazza

 

[Nige.Coll]

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgr...H36X88swnLM:&docid=GilwF10f3c_r7M&h=500&w=750

some sort of mite

 

[Skyhook]

If I remember correctly, they are some sort of pollen mite that just hitches a ride to get from nest to nest. Hard to believe when you see a load like that.

 

[dn170221]

They look horrible.

 

[Cellectronic]

Not spider eggs then ?
Interesting though.

 

[enrico]

Bad case of shingles?

 

[lakelander]

Thank you for your responses the person that sent me the picture was quite fascinated by the concept of pollen mites hitching a ride

 

[newportbuzz]

i checked up on these little fellas before.
if i rember they are a symbiotic nest mite that cleans up debris in the nest. in winter they tend to be on the queens as there are no nests.
i think it was various google searches that led me to that. ill look through me saved files folder this evening.

 

[lakelander]

i checked up on these little fellas before.
if i rember they are a symbiotic nest mite that cleans up debris in the nest. in winter they tend to be on the queens as there are no nests.
i think it was various google searches that led me to that. ill look through me saved files folder this evening.

i would really appreciate that thanks

 

[chrismcd]

Probably Parasitellus Mites

As the photo that Nige. Coll linked to indicated, these are probably Parasitellus mites doing their phoresy bit on a new queen on her way to set up a new colony.

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

Despite the name they may be beneficial!

 

[Erichalfbee]

newportbuzz is right.
Link to BBCT here
http://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-bees/faqs/bumblebee-mites/