Modern methods of identification of the tracheal mite Acarapis woodi – the causative agent of acarapidosis in honey bees

Acarapisosis is an invasive disease of adult honey bees Apis mellifera, caused by the parasitic mite Acarapis woodi. At a high level of infestation, mite parasitism leads to depletion of the bees’ hemolymph, loss of the ability to fly, and ultimately leads to the death of the bee colony. The small size of mites, combined with their location, does not allow diagnosing the disease in the field research. Guidelines for diagnosing acarapisosis have been developed for diagnostic laboratories in Russia and are currently in force. However, since their approval (2002), many other research methods have been developed and improved. The purpose of this study is to review modern methods for diagnosing acarapisosis in bees. Methods. All relevant publications and regulatory legal acts on the topic of the study were analyzed. Scientific novelty. As a result of the study, data on all diseases to date in the methods of diagnosing acarapisosis were summarized. The strengths and weaknesses of each method were identified. Results. Of the morphological diagnostic methods, the most effective are the method of individual examination of the thoracic trachea. This method makes it possible to differentiate between living and dead A. woodi mites. The disadvantage of the method is its labor intensity, which negatively affects the quality of subsequent routine studies. Serological diagnostic methods, developed to optimize time costs, do not demonstrate a sufficient degree of sensitivity and/or specificity. Species-specific molecular diagnostic methods are considered the most effective today, which is confirmed by the results of comparative research.