A review on mites associated with eusocial bees of the tribe Meliponini (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and the species Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Numerous mites are found in association with Apis mellifera and bees from the tribe Meliponini. Given this diversity, it is important that the records of these associations be compiled, aiming at a better understanding of the state of the art in studies related to mites associated with these bees. This study aimed to compile the records of mites associated with Meliponini bees and A. mellifera. A total of 90 publications were selected: 55 focused exclusively on mites associated with A. mellifera, 32 on mites associated exclusively with Meliponini species, and three studies that reported mite associations with both groups of bees. From the A. mellifera studies, a total of 197 mite species were recorded worldwide, distributed across 47 mite families. Whereas Meliponini bees recorded 69 mite species belonging to 21 families associated with 15 bee genera in 16 locations from subtropical and tropical regions of the Southern Hemisphere. Through the data obtained in this study, we can conclude that there is a remarkable diversity of the mite fauna in both groups of bees. The knowledge of the mite species associated with these bees can expand our understanding of biodiversity and contribute to the sustainability of beekeeping and meliponiculture worldwide.