Genetic profile of Varroa destructor infesting Apis mellifera iberiensis colonies.

The genetic profile of the Varroa destructor mite infesting Apis mellifera iberiensis colonies located in the Iberian Peninsula and also on Canarian and Balearic islands was determined through standard molecular assays (RFLP of the mitochondrial cox I fragment). The V. destructor Korea haplotype was found in all of the 575 samples analyzed except in one, confirming the worldwide expansion of the more virulent haplotype. The mitochondrial haplotypes of the honey bees from an apiary where the Japan haplotype was detected were also determined, but no significant relationship was observed in the parasite-host haplotype distribution.