Bee

Mite ID

Female: With widened dorsal setae having a basal asymmetric protuberance (Figs. 1, 3), dorsal idiosoma with a few unpaired setae (Fig. 1), and typical corniculi reaching middle of palpfemur and not extending to its anterior edge (Fig. 7). Otherwise similar to Hypoaspis, Group 1.

The genus Cosmolaelaps comprises 108 species (Moreira et al., 2014), which are predators of small microarthropods in soil and related habitats. One species, Cosmolaelaps vacuus, a generalist predator, was described and included in a key to British species (Evans and Till, 1966).

By the presence of widened dorsal setae similar to Stratiolaelaps. Cosmolaelaps can be distinguished from Stratiolaelaps by its typical corniculi that reach nearly to middle of palpfemur (Fig. 7). In Stratiolaelaps, corniculi reach anterior level of palpfemur. Also similar to Hypoaspis, but dorsal setae are widened in Cosmolaelaps (simple, not widened in Hypoaspis).

The genus is cosmopolitan. The single species recorded from bees (Cosmolaelaps vacuus) has been found in the Holarctic and Oriental regions.

Cosmolaelaps vacuus has been found, among other habitats, in a bumble bee (Bombus) nest.

facultative

• All stages are predatory on microarthropods in different habitats, including nests of social bees.
• Mites can invade nearby bee nests by walking.