International Programs

Acarapis mites have been present in the United States since 1984 and are presently considered a threat to honey bee populations in North America. They have been present in Europe since 1921 where infestation rates have now dwindled to a level that is not considered dangerous. Consequently, accurate information on infestation rates is no longer being collected in that region. This paper presents the results of a study that seeks to gather data on current infestation rates in France, one of the earliest locations of epidemic Acarapis infestation.
Honey bees from 40 hives near Poitiers, France were examined to determine infestation rates for three types of parasitic mites: Acarapis woodi, A. dorsalis and A. externus. Dissections of 475 honeybees revealed sporadic, mild infestation of all three mites, suggesting that Acarapis mite infestation is still present, however not a threat in France.