Honey bee predisposition of resistance to ubiquitous mite infestations

Host-parasite co-evolution history is lacking when parasites switch to novel hosts. This was the case for Western honey bees ( Apis mellifera ) when the ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor , switched hosts from Eastern honey bees ( Apis cerana ). This mite has since become the most severe biological threat to A. mellifera worldwide. However, some A. mellifera populations are known to survive infestations, largely by suppressing mite population...