honey bee with varroa mite
The European honey bee (Apis mellifera), shown above with a Varroa destructor mite on its thorax, can be bred, or “selected,” for mite resistance, such as in the Russian honey bee stock. However, a new study shows the Russian honey bee may still be vulnerable in areas with significant Varroa mite presence.. (Photo credit: Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman, Ph.D.)