VARROA-JACOBSONI AS A CARRIER OF BACTERIAL-INFECTIONS TO A RECIPIENT BEE HOST

Using Serratia marcescens as an indicator bacterium and the worker bro od of the honey bee, experiments have shown that Varroa jacobsoni tran smits bacterial infections to a recipitent bee host. Integument and ha emolymph of brood artificially contaminated with S marcescens, prefera bly individuals with Serratia septicaemia, were the source of bacteria l contamination of the mites. The infected parasites during feeding ca rry S marcescens to about 20% of the healthy brood.