These are phoretic mites - not varroa and probably not harmful. Insects commonly carry these - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoresy Bumblebees like yours frequently carry them. Nice pic but a touch more DOF would have had the whole eye and mites in focus. I usually do macros like this with at least F8 but preferably F16 or above, unless of course, you are after some selective focus which should include the eye Alastair
On Tue, Sep 15, 2009 at 8:48 AM, Joseph McAllister <[email protected]> wrote: > > I then stand corrected. Those are not crab-like. Still an ugly scene if > you're a bee. > > I'll be itching for a week, between seeing this and the heavy flea season in > my area. Oh yes, the bed bugs that we can't see that munch on us in the night. > > On Sep 14, 2009, at 01:32 , eckinator wrote: >> >> True but the mite pic doesn't show Varroa destructor - if you do a >> google image search you will find Varroa looks more like a crab with >> the body in the shape of a sideways oval: >> http://dma01.com/u/195/b/a9666a1ced2af41beaf9.jpg BTW those critters >> are delicious... used to snorkel for them in the early 80s when I was >> still a kid and they were easy to find. That is no longer the case. >> Cheers >> Ecke >> >> 2009/9/14 Joseph McAllister <[email protected]>: >>> >>> I'm no expert, but I disagree. The behind of these creatures match the >>> capped look of your photo of the mite, and the forest of legs sticking up >>> match the coloration of the mite legs in your photo as well. Diving in >>> posture. 24" full screen get really ugly. >>> >>> >>> On Sep 13, 2009, at 12:39 , Toine wrote: >>> >>>> All the googled pics of Varroa indicate this isn't Varroa. Got on of >>>> the mites in close-up: >>>> >>>> http://tinyurl.com/m6fmrr >>>> >>>> Maybe they are only hitchhiking... >>>> >>>> Toine >>>> >>>> 2009/9/13 eckinator <[email protected]>: >>>>> >>>>> Tough one. >>>>> Adult Varroa mites are much bigger in proportion - unless this is >>>>> Beezilla's cousin... >>>>> If you want my vote, it is NO >>>>> Great image nonetheless! >>>>> Cheers >>>>> Ecke >>>>> >>>>> 2009/9/13 Bob W <[email protected]>: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> A bee unter attack from ugly parasites. Is this Varroa >>>>>>> destructor which kills our honey bee's. Maybe the wisdom of >>>>>>> the list can give the answer. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> http://tinyurl.com/qqeu2l >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Toine >>>>>> >>>>>> That's a superb shot - horrible subject matter though. > > Joseph McAllister > [email protected] > > There is no off position to the genius switch. > Genius can, however, be observed as insanity. > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
