Varroa Mite: The Silent killer

No single disease, organism or bee-hater has killed more bees then the Varroa mite. These ectoparasites originate from asia but are now found almost all throughout the world. The mite is one of the largest parasites in relation to its host and the human equivalent of this mite would be like having a basketball sized parasite attached to your back! Not a pleasant thought! All Varroa mites that you see attached to bee's are female. Males are used simply for reproduction and never fully mature. A Varroa mite population can explode very quickly and do serious damage to a hive.