Tropilaelaps biology and behaviour.

Tropilaelaps are parasitic mites which naturally infest the giant Asian honey bee species, Apis dorsata and Apis laboriosa. When the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera were introduced to Asia Tropilaelaps jumped species. Unfortunately, the Western honey bee has no natural resistance to this mite and this has caused significant colony losses.

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Measuring only 1 mm long by 0.5 mm wide they are around a third the size of their cousins Varroa. However, while smaller, they cause considerably more damage to a colony of bees than Varroa, and reports suggest that a new Tropilaelaps infestation can kill a colony in as little as 3 to 4 months. This is due to the biology and behaviour of Tropilaelaps. Tropilaelaps have a higher reproductive rate than Varroa and can also mate outside of sealed brood cells and reproduce by parthenogenesis, neither of which Varroa can do. Tropilaelaps also cause more damage to brood when they feed as their mouthparts tear, rather than pierce, the brood.

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Tropilaelaps has since spread outside of Asia and were detected in Europe for the first time in 2024 in Georgia and the Krasnodar region of Russia. Climate change and increased global trade means that most of the world is now at risk from this damaging parasitic mite.