Acarapis

/ˌækəˈreɪpɪs/ noun

Definition

A genus of parasitic mites that infest honeybees, specifically invading their breathing tubes.

Etymology

From Greek 'akari' (mite) + suffix related to parasitic classification. Named for the microscopic mites that devastated bee colonies worldwide.

Kelly Says

Acarapis woodi, the tracheal mite, nearly collapsed commercial beekeeping in the early 1900s—a single microscopic mite in a bee's windpipe could kill entire colonies, making it one of agriculture's most destructive pests.

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