Mites Injurious to Domestic Animals. loi 



numbers when neither Acarapis nor Nosema can be found in the 

 stock. 



Besides Acarapis woodi, which is an internal parasite, examples 

 of Tarsonemus occasionally occur on bees. A species found on 

 British hive bees has been described by Dr. Rennie under the name 

 Tarsonemus apis (fig. 85). The author has found specimens 

 of Tarsonemus on Apis dorsata and Apis florealis (both Indian 



Fig. 85. 



Tarsonemus apis. — Ventral view of female, (a) Last leg of male 

 of same. (Original.) 



species of bees) and on Apis meUifica, var. indica (from Singa- 

 pore). It is probable that the presence of these mites of the 

 genus Tarsonemus {sensu stricto) on bees is due to the migratory 

 instinct, the bee being merely used for the purpose of transporta- 

 tion, thus increasing the area of distribution of the mite. It is 

 improbable that pseudoparasites of this type are injurious to the 

 health of the bee, whereas Acarapis is undoubtedly parasitic and 

 very injurious to its host. Specimens of Tarsonemus [sensu stricto) 



