Relationship between some semiochemicals and the taxis of Varroa destructor
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Key Words：semiochemicals, Varroa destructor, Apis mellifera
Abstract：Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman is a major pest of honey bee Apis mellifera Spinola. This ectoparasitic mite parasitizes both adult bees and brood. Female mites reproduce in the capped brood cells and invade brood several hours before cell capping. Varroa mites selectively parasitize honey bee larvae within a narrow time, and prefer to infest male brood cells. The high degree of host specificity exhibited by Varroa mites suggests that semiochemicals are used by the mites to locate and parasitize bee larva. Nineteen odor substance related to bee larva were tested, and the odor substance from worker and drone larvae's cuticle were tested by DPA(dynamic pumping absorption) and GCMS. The results showed that Varroa mites were attracted strongly to the odors by 6-day drone larva and the other 9 odor substances. The odor substances were different between 6day old worker larva and 6-day old drone larva. The main odor bstances from 6-day old worker larva cuticlewere C18H38, 9-C23H46，9-CH3C19H40，and there of the 6-day old drone larva cuticle were 9-C23H46, C25H52, C23H48.