Locustacarus buchneri

Locustacarus buchneri is a parasitic mite that lives in the respiratory air sacs of bumblebees. They are relatively host-specific and are found primarily in the subgenus Bombus sensu stricto. Bees infested with the mite have a reduced lifespan in laboratory conditions, and although in one study they foraged at a rate similar to uninfected bees, infected bees showed a greater preference for a single flower type. Prevalence varies, but infection appears to be more common among...