Varroa destructor, honey bee mite, SEM

False-coloured scanning electron micrograph of a varroa parasitic mite that attacks the honey bees Apis cerana and Apis mellifera. The disease caused by the mites is called varroatosis and is capable of devastating honey bee colonies. This external parasite attaches itself to the body of the honey bee, lays its eggs inside the hive and feeds on honey bee larvae. Image width is 1.5 mm.