A new record of phoretic mites on honey bee Apis mellifera L. in Egypt

Five species of mites, belonging to different families, were found infesting honeybee workers, Apis mellifera L., in different apiaries in Al-Gharbiya Governorate, Nile Delta. All the identified species except Varroa jacobsoni Oudemans (Varroidae) are new records for the phoretic bee mites in Egypt. These are Neocypholaelaps indica Evans (Ameroseiidae), Pediculochelus raulti Lavoipiere (Pediculochelidae), Tarsonemus indoapis Lindquist (Tarsonemidae) and Chaetodactylus osmiae (dufour) (Chaetodactylidae). The host parasite relationship was discussed. A brief diagnosis with diagrammatic illustrations is given.