What does a Varroa mite look like? - briefly
The mite, known as «Varroa destructor», is a tiny, reddish‑brown arachnid about 1–1.5 mm long, with a compact, oval body and eight short legs. Its dorsal surface is smooth and unsegmented, and the front legs are adapted for clinging to honey‑bee hosts.
What does a Varroa mite look like? - in detail
The Varroa destructor mite measures approximately 1.1 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width, resembling an oval-shaped grain of sand. Its body is dorsoventrally flattened, allowing it to move easily between honey‑bee brood cells.
The exoskeleton is lightly pigmented, ranging from reddish‑brown to dark brown, often appearing translucent under bright illumination. Eight legs emerge from the anterior region; each leg terminates in a small claw used for gripping the host’s cuticle. Two simple eyes are situated on the dorsal surface, providing limited photoreception.
Key morphological traits include:
- A robust gnathosoma (mouthparts) equipped with chelicerae that penetrate the bee’s hemolymph.
- Numerous setae (hair‑like sensory structures) covering the dorsal shield, aiding in tactile navigation.
- A ventral opisthosomal plate bearing a pair of anal openings, each surrounded by microscopic pores.
Compared with other Acari, Varroa mites lack the distinct dorsal shield seen in predatory mites and possess a more elongated opisthosoma, facilitating insertion into bee pupae. Their leg positioning and claw morphology are specialized for clinging to the bee’s thorax and abdomen during transport.