This mite was first described in 1921 and lead to the creation of laws in
the United States to guard against its importation. However, by 1984 the
mite was known to occur in Texas. The mite lives
inside the tracheae or breathing tubes of adult bees and interferes
with their breathing. Both these mites and the Varroa mite are
thought to also cause problems in the colony by introducing other
viruses and bacteria which cause bees to do poorly. Anytime a hive
is under stress, the introduction of mites as an additional burden
can have serious consequences.
The detection of this mite
is difficult and can only be
made with a dissection and examination of the bee's trachea.
Studies have shown infestation in colonies to vary between 0% and 100%, so
susceptability is variable. Fortunately, several apiaries have successfully
bred Tracheal mite resistant stocks of queens. The success of these
stocks is shown in
an interesting study done in Canada.
The Agricultural Research Service also sponsored a study in Arizona which
documented the loss of 140 wild bee colonies in a two year period,
probably from Tracheal mites.
This study mentions that the survival of wild bees may hold the
key to genetic resistance to mites.
The only accepted method of treatment is the use 50 grams of menthol crystals
placed in the hive when daytime temperatures reach at least 60ø F.
The menthol crystals should be placed in a cloth or porous bag for
20 to 25 days. This
page discusses some ideas on how the menthol works to kill mites.
Another treatment suggests putting 100 grams of menthol crystals
in a one cup measure and adding canola oil to fill the cup. The
mixture should be microwaved at half power to melt the crystals. This
amount of oil is enough to saturate 30 paper towels when they are placed
in a plastic bag and saturated. Use one paper towel per colony and place
on top of the frames in the fall after honey flow. Go
here to
read about the success of this treatment developed by the West Virginia
Extension office.
There is an excellent article about
Tracheal mites in Arizona which discusses resistance.
Back to the Mites and Diseases the
Bee Biology page or 
Last modified 10 November 1998