Acarapis woodi Acarapis woodi (or "tracheal mites") are parasitic mites which live and reproduce in adult bees' tracheae, or respiratory tubes, piercing the tube walls with their mouthparts to feed on haemolymph. To infest new hosts, the mites must find newly emerged bees; after three days, the bristles (setae) guarding the spiracles are firm enough to prevent the mites' entry into the tracheae. Mite infestations are known as acarine, and have been called "Isle of Wight disease".
Acarapis woodi Acarapis woodi (or "tracheal mites") are parasitic mites which live and reproduce in adult bees' tracheae or respiratory tubes piercing the tube walls with their mouthparts to feed on haemolymph To infest new hosts the mites must find newly emerged bees; after three days the bristles (setae) guarding the spiracles are firm enough to prevent the mites' entry into the tracheae Mite infestations are known as acarine and have been called "Isle of Wight disease"