Abstract
Invasion ofVarroa mites into honeybee brood cells was studied in an observation hive, using combs with cell openings at one side only. The cell bottoms had been replaced by a transparent sheet, through which mites were clearly visible after invasion into a cell. Mites invaded worker cells from 15–20 h preceding cell capping, whereas they invaded drone cells from 40–50 h preceding capping. The larger number of mites generally found in drone cells, when compared to worker cells, may be partly due to the longer period of mite invasion into drone brood.
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Boot, W.J., Calis, J.N.M. & Beetsma, J. Differential periods ofVarroa mite invasion into worker and drone cells of honey bees. Exp Appl Acarol 16, 295–301 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01218571
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01218571