Do male varroa mites feed?

[EK.Bee]

Some papers say yes most say nay leaving me confused

Their wee pointy chelicerae become hollow after the last molt & they never leave the brood cell, but do they feed prior to this?


I also read that the female eats some of the larval food when she submerges initially (Morse & flottum book ), but no-one else states this

[Greengage]

This is an interesting article but i dont think it answers your question.
http://articles.extension.org/pages/65450/varroa-mite-reproductive-biology

[EK.Bee]

Thanks, there are some good papers out there. I think they must feed even if its just in the protonymph stage to get the protein to develop their sperm?

[gavin]

Thanks, there are some good papers out there. I think they must feed even if its just in the protonymph stage to get the protein to develop their sperm?

They grow in size, develop and metamorphose over 6.5 days, moulting in the process, so they will have to feed to achieve this. As you pointed out, they change their mouthparts at the last moult into - well, structures not designed for feeding - which likely means they are on a starvation diet from that point.

[gavin]

Kanbar and Engels (2003) show an image (Fig 4) which purports to be a male deutonymph (the one with compromised feeding apparatus) feeding from a drone pupa.

You would have had to pay for access to the paper but our chums over on Biobees have a copy available:

http://www.biobees.com/library/general_beekeeping/pests_varroa/varroa_research_paper_1.pdf

[busybeephilip]

Glad I'm not a bee - them feeding holes actually appear to be pretty darn big

[EK.Bee]

Glad I'm not a bee - them feeding holes actually appear to be pretty darn big

Could be worse, you could be a male varroa only alive for a few days & have to have an incestuous relationship with all your sisters on top of a pile of your mother's faeces! :)

[EK.Bee]

Kanbar and Engels (2003) show an image (Fig 4) which purports to be a male deutonymph (the one with compromised feeding apparatus) feeding from a drone pupa.

You would have had to pay for access to the paper but our chums over on Biobees have a copy available:

http://www.biobees.com/library/general_beekeeping/pests_varroa/varroa_research_paper_1.pdf

Marvellous pictures!

[gavin]

Could be worse, you could be a male varroa only alive for a few days & have to have an incestuous relationship with all your sisters on top of a pile of your mother's faeces! :)

Luxury!! ;)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXI8PN-ZGkI

[fatshark]

Could be worse, you could be a male varroa only alive for a few days & have to have an incestuous relationship with all your sisters on top of a pile of your mother's faeces! :)

I thought the Varroa defecated at the bottom end of the cell? That's a relatively long way from the feeding hole in the pupa. Perhaps that's also where they choose to conduct their 'incestuous relationship'. There's kinky and there's depraved.

Which makes me wonder ... do those who study the biology of the mite actually discuss this sort of thing - for example over drinks and canapés - with 'normal' people. I know someone who did her PhD. on anaerobic sewage sludge digestion, a nailed-on conversation killer at dinner parties ;)

PS Do people who study this sort of thing get invited for drinks and canapés?

[gavin]

Just to correct my earlier assertion, the mature male is capable of feeding. He just lacks the 'teeth' on the end of his chelicerae so relies on mum (as do his sisters as theirs aren't mature or tough enough) to make that feeding hole.

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Bees/Rosenkranz-Biology-Control-Varroa-2010.pdf

To add to the poor fellow's woes, apparently he has only one testis. Probably has to put up with his sisters singing songs about German dictators with an allegedly similar condition.

[gavin]

I thought the Varroa defecated at the bottom end of the cell? That's a relatively long way from the feeding hole in the pupa.

..............

PS Do people who study this sort of thing get invited for drinks and canapés?

Apparently the 5th pupal segment is close to the faecal accumulation site. Foot of page S100 in the paper above.

You could always invite Peter Rosenkranz next time he's passing!

[The Drone Ranger]

Kill Them, Kill them all

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzC4Dzj7kWI
Then it doesn't matter whether or not the can whistle through their hideous mouth parts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF2EsKbd9IQ