Changed Varroa jacobsoni reproduction in Apis mellifera colonies in Java

Abstract - An update on the incidence and reproduction of Varroa jacobsoni Oud in sealed brood cells of Apis cerana F and A mellifera L colonies in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Irian Jaya during 1994-1995 and in Java during 1992-1995 is reported. Reported also are the observed incidences and reproductive behaviours during 1995 of V jacobsoni in A cerana colonies on the Indonesian islands of Biak and Yapen located close to Irian Jaya and in A mellifera colonies introduced to those islands from Java during early 1995. In every A cerana colony examined regardless of location, female mites were only observed reproducing in drone cells. In the A mellifera colonies in PNG and Irian Jaya, there were no signs that female mites were reproducing in either worker or drone cells. This was also the case in A mellifera colonies reported from Java in a previous study in 1991 and in worker cells in Java during the present study in 1992. However, in A mellifera colonies in Java, each year subsequent to 1992, female mites were observed producing eggs and offspring in sealed brood cells. Reproducing female mites were also observed in both worker and drone cells in the A mellifera colonies that were introduced to Biak and Yapen from Java during January 1995.