D3447: Patterns of phoretic mites across a diverse collection of urban native bees

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM MST

Location: Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall 6, PCC

Presenting Author(s)

NC

Nathan Vincent Comai (he/him/his)

Research Associate, Entomologist
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado

Co-Author(s)

John Mola

Assistant Professor
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado
Nicole Bailey

Graduate Student
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado
NB

Nancy Bartholomew

Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado

Tiny mites attached to bees are frequently reported by concerned community scientists and sometimes reach comically large abundances on their hosts. Known as phoretic mites, these small Acari attach themselves to bees to eventually gain access to resources. Despite their ubiquity, and concerns of enthusiastic community bee observers, patterns of mite abundance across species and landscape context are typically not documented in scientific research programs. A practical first step to furthering our understanding of the relationship between phoretic mites and bee hosts would be to document the patterns of mite presence across existing collections of bees to understand which species commonly host mites and any landscape patterns associated with mite abundance. In 2023, as part of a study on urban bee biodiversity, we collected 3,182 wild bees from 25 city parks in Denver, Colorado. Alongside bee collections, we gathered data on floral abundance and diversity and floral associations for individual bees when applicable. Additionally, Apis mellifera abundance was also determined at each site. Collected specimens were pinned and identified to species or morphospecies level and categorized based on life history traits. After noticing the presence of phoretic mites on many of the specimens, we identified and categorized the abundance of both mutualistic and parasitic mites present on pinned bees. Here, we report the results of mite presence and mite abundance across a diverse range of native/exotic bee taxa and landscape factors to fill in gaps in current urban bee ecology knowledge.