Acarapis woodi

Tracheal mites were also killed by formic acid [51]. This parasite, Acarapis woodi (Acari Tarsonemidae), lives in the tracheal tubes of adult honey bees. The bees die because of the disruption to respiration caused by the mites clogging the tracheae. 

Besides thymol, other terpenes have been tested for their toxicity against Varroa jacobsoni. Imdorf et al. determined in vitro the effective miticidal air concentrations, but with minimal effects on the bees as follows 5-15 pg/litre air for thymol, 50-150 pg/litre for camphor and 20-60 pg/litre for menthol 1,8-cineole was too toxic for honey bees [86], Another interesting paper considered the efficacy of different isomers of menthol on Acarapis woodi [87]. The natural crystals obtained from the plant, synthetic crystals and the L-form gave more than 96% mite mortality, while the D-form crystals only a 37% mortality. 

Honey bee Acari, tracheal mite (Acarapi woodi)... 

Gary, N. E and Page, R. E. (1988). Phenotypic variation in susceptibility of honey bees, Apis mellifera, to infestation by tracheal mites, Acarapis woodi. Exp. Appl. Acarol., 3, 291-305. 

Phelan, P.L., Smith, A. W. and Needham, G. R. (1991). Mediation of host selection by cuticular hydrocarbons in the honeybee tracheal mite Acarapis woodi (Rennie). 

Beekeepers use formic acid as a miticide against the Tracheal (Acarapis woodi) mite and the Varroa mite. 

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