Scanning electron micrograph of Varroa destructor, a honey bee mite. Varroa is a parasitic mite that attacks the honey bees Apis cerana and Apis mellifera. The disease caused by the mites is called varroatosis and is capable of devastating honey bee colonies. This external parasite attaches itself to the body of the honey bee, lays its eggs inside the hive and feeds on honey bee larvae. Image width is 1.5 mm. Supplied by Kevin Mackenzie, courtesy of Wellcome Images.