MITES ASSOCIATED WITH BUMBLE BEE

摘要

BUMBLE bees Bombus haemorrhoidalis Smith (Hymenoptera : Apidae, Bombini) are acknowledged pollinators of agro-horticultural crops (Abrol, 1991 ; Free, 1993). They are valuable pollinators especially in mid to high altitude temperate zones as they canwork at extremely low temperatures of 2-3 °C at which other pollinating insects are inactive (Abrol, 1993 a). In recent years, population of indigenous honey bee Apis cerana indica F. which is adapted to higher altitude and lower temperature regimes hasbeen much annhilated due to the spread of Thai sac brood virus' disease (Abrol, 1993 b). The exotic honey bee A. mellifera is not yet fully acclimatized and adapted to temperate conditions. Evidenty, dependence on bumble bees for crop pollination has assumed greater significance in mid to high altitude zones of the state. The major constraint in the utilization of bumble bees for crop pollination is the unpredicatable fluctuations in their numbers which vary from one season to another and are under thekey control of environmental diversities. Further, their population build up is also influenced by several inhibiting factors such as attack of various diseases and parasites (Skou et al. 1963). In the present investigations, an attempt has been made to exmine bumble bee males, workers and queens both in the nest and foraging on flowers for the presence of mites if any. The results obtained are pesented in this paper.