Varroa
jacobsoni is a serious parasite of bees. In the last few years it has
spread through the South Western regions of England, damaging honey output
through its growing presence in bee hives.
Varroa
jacobsoni is a serious parasite of bees. In the last few years it has
spread through the South Western regions of England, damaging honey output
through its growing presence in bee hives.
It is
a very tiny parasite - as can be seen in this image where an ordinary fine
sewing needle is being used to move a dead one into a better position for
photographing. The parasite feeds from the bees blood after attaching itself
firmly to the body. A large shield-like hard casing protects the Varroa's
vulnerable underside. Once attached, the parasite is virtually untouchable
within the bee hive environment.
Once inside the hive, other bees are quickly affected. Blood loss leads to lethargy, and with a decline in worker bees collecting pollen, the honey output declines. The hive itself can be completely wiped out in some cases within a few months.
This SEM
image taken by Andrew Syred of Microscopix Picture Library in the UK, gives
a clear impression of this extremely serious pest to the bee-keeping community.
Further references for those interested can be found on the LYCOS
SEARCH site by entering the key word varroa.
