Comparing and assessing multi-locus genotypes (MLGs) between amitraz resistant and susceptible populations of Varroa destructor, an Apis mellifera ectoparasite.”

The European honey bee, Apis mellifera, is an economically important pollinator that contributes to over $15 billion dollars from pollination services in the United States. Honey bee health is threatened by an ectoparasite, Varroa destructor, that can feed on the hemolymph and tissue of the host, vectoring pathogens and causing stress. To mitigate loss, beekeepers apply miticides, such as amitraz, in colonies that help reduce the level of infestation, however, we are observing increasing rates of amitraz resistance which leave honey bees vulnerable again to parasites. It is important for us to understand differences between the susceptible and resistant populations to create better management strategies. We hypothesize that there will be genotypes and multi-locus genotypes (MLGs) that are more common in mite populations that are resistant to amitraz. To assess these differences, we collected samples from these two populations from commercial beekeepers in North Dakota. We focused on eight established Varroa destructor microsatellites for MLG analysis (VD001, VD016, VD112, VD114, VD119, VD126, VD163, and VJ294). Identifying heterozygosity (expected vs observed), allelic diversity, and isolation differences will show us a picture of the genetic diversity.