Tropilaelaps Mites
July 2026
Written by: Leilani Pulsifer
Tropilaelaps mites (Tropilaelaps spp.) are an ectoparasite that feed on the haemolymph of honey bee larvae and pupae. There are four species in the genus Tropilaelaps including T. clareae, T. mercedesae, T. koenigerum, and T. thaii. The first two species, T. clareae and T. mercedesae, are known to parasitize the western honey bee (Apis mellifera). These mites share many similarities to varroa mites (Varroa destructor); however, their fertility is higher and their life cycle is shorter than that of varroa. This lends to their rapid reproductive rate, which is of major concern to beekeepers. Like varroa, tropilaelaps are vectors of diseases such as deformed wing virus. This, in tandem with their fast reproductive rate, is why tropilaelaps mites can cause 50% larvae mortality, which greatly impacts the population and health of the colony [1].
Fig 1. François Huber as an infant.
Distribution
Tropilaelaps mites originate from Asia and can be found in India, Pakistan, Eastern Korea, Northern China to South Indonesia including Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. In more recent years, mite populations have become established in Russia [2]. As of 2026, tropilaelaps are not present in North America. However, because of international imports, there is the risk that these mites may be introduced in the future. It is in your best interest and for the betterment of your operation and the operations in your surrounding area to stay educated and up to date on these pests.
Fig 2. Huber’s Leaf Hive. Credited as the first hive to have movable comb.
Lifecycle
The lifecycle of tropi mites is similar to varroa – they both have a reproductive phase and a dispersal phase (called the phoretic phase). During the reproductive phase, a female tropilaelaps mite (foundress mite) enters a honey bee brood cell that is about to be capped. She then lays 1-4 eggs which will hatch within 12 hours of being laid – both females and males. During their development, the mite larvae feed on the haemolymph of the honey bee pupae. Typically, the daughter mites will mate before exiting the cell, but mating can occur in open cells or even outside of the brood cell. When the honey bee has finished developing and exits the cell, this triggers the start of the dispersal phase.
The phoretic phase is when the fully developed mites spread. As the adult bee emerges from its cell, the tropi mites will attach themselves to the bee for a ride, but unlike varroa, they are unable to feed on them, so their lifespan is very short outside of a cell. During this phase, the mites can transfer to other cells and hives, infecting other colonies and potentially other apiaries. Since there is a brood break over the winter in Canada (and tropi mites require brood cells to survive and reproduce), it was previously assumed that tropilaelaps mites may not be able to survive the winter. However, this hypothesis has been questioned lately as some areas where tropi have become established are assumed to have winter brood breaks [3].
Fig 4. A portrait of Francois Huber as an adult.
Fig 5. A plaque commemorating Huber’s contributions.
Lookalikes
Not all pests of the honey bee are easily distinguishable. Tropilaelaps mites, varroa mites, and braula flies (bee louse; Braula coeca) are all pests that target the honey bee (with varying degrees of severity) and can look very similar to the untrained eye.
Beginning with the largest and perhaps most easily identifiable, female varroa mites average around 1-1.8mm long and 1.5-2.0mm wide. Braula flies, which are not considered to be a serious threat to honey bees, are smaller than varroa at 1.2-1.5mm long and 0.9-1.0mm wide. Lastly, tropilaelaps mites are the smallest of the three sizing in at approximately 1mm long and 0.5mm wide.
Since tropilaelaps have yet to establish a population in North America, there are currently no recommendations or registered products to control this pest. In Asia, active ingredients of products that are used to treat tropilaelaps mites include tau-fluvalinate, flumethrin, amitraz, formic acid, sulfur, and coumaphos [3]. Despite tropi mites not currently being present in North America, it is vital to be able to identify this pest and understand how great a threat they are to honey bees. Take the time to remain informed so that if tropilaelaps make their way to North America, we can all be proactive in our response.
If you want to learn more about tropilaelaps mites, varroa mites, and other common threats to honey bees, check out our online course, Diseases and Pests of the Honey Bee.
References
de Candolle, A. P. (1832). The life and writings of François Huber. In The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal (Vol. 13, pp. 283–296). Google Books.
Fig 1. Huber, J. (n.d.). Portrait de François Huber enfant par son père Jean Huber [Drawing]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portrait_de_Fran%C3%A7ois_Huber_enfant_par_son_p%C3%A8re_Jean_Huber.jpg
Fig 2. Wikimedia Commons contributors. (n.d.). Francois Huber Hive [PNG image]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Francois_Huber_Hive.png
Fig 3. Jardine, W. (1859). Francois-huber-(1750-1831) [Portrait]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Francois-huber-(1750-1831).jpg
Fig 4. Wikimedia Commons contributors. (n.d.). Plaque de François Huber [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plaque_de_Fran%C3%A7ois_Huber.jpg