Apidologie 35 (2004) 645-654
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2004059

Identification of Varroa mites (Acari: Varroidae) infesting Apis cerana and Apis mellifera in China

Ting Zhou^{a, b, c}, Denis L. Anderson^d, Zachary Y. Huang^{a, b}, Shuangxiu Huang^b, Jun Yao^b, Tan Ken^e and Qingwen Zhang<sup>a

a</sup>  Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, China
^b  Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
^c  Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
^d  CSIRO Entomology, PO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
^e  Eastern Bee Research Institute, Yunnan Agricultural University, Heilongtan, 650201, Kunming, China

(Received 8 September 2003; revised 19 April 2004; accepted 22 April 2004)

Abstract - A total of 24 Varroa mite samples were collected from A. mellifera and A. cerana colonies in 17 Provinces in China and subjected to DNA or restriction enzyme analyses. All Varroa mites from A. mellifera were identified as the Korean genotype of Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman, confirming earlier finding that V. jacobsoni is not present in China, and a single genotype of Varroa is infecting the A. mellifera bees. Mites collected from A. cerana colonies at 2 locations in Guangdong Province were the China genotype of V. destructor. Mites collected from A. cerana colonies in 3 apiaries at Dayao County, Yunnan Province, and from 5 colonies at Mongzi County, Yunnan Province, were a new genotype, which was named the China 2 genotype of V. destructor. Mites collected from A. cerana colonies in 4 apiaries at Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, were the Vietnam genotype of V. destructor. These results should help future mite control and bee quarantine efforts in China.

Key words: Apis mellifera / Apis cerana / China 2 genotype of Varroa destructor / Varroa spp. / population genetics

Corresponding author: Zachary Y. Huang bees@msu.edu

© INRA, EDP Sciences, DIB, AGIB 2004