Acarapis woodi is an internal parasite of honeybees, related to ticks and spiders. It lives and reproduces in the tracheal tubes of the bees. The mites pierce the tracheal tube walls with their mouthparts and feed on the haemolymph of the bees. The mites are so small that they can only be seen and identified under a microscope.

Other mites that are similar in appearance are Acarapis externus, and Acarapis dorsalis.

References

• Tracheal mites Systematic Entomology Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture

Beekeeping | Acari