varroa mite

noun

var·​roa mite ˈver-ə-wə- How to pronounce varroa mite (audio)
ˈva-rə-
: any of a genus (Varroa) of parasitic Asian mites that suck the hemolymph of honeybees and their larvae
especially : one (V. destructor) of worldwide distribution that is a serious pest of the European honeybee

Examples of varroa mite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The usual causes of bee death, such as a nasty parasite known as the varroa mite, do not seem to be the cause. — Amy Feldman, Forbes, 6 Feb. 2025 GreenLight has applied for regulatory approval for a pesticide targeting the varroa mite, the main plague of honey bees, which can resist almost all available pesticides. — Byerik Stokstad, science.org, 27 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin Varroa, after Marcus Terentius varro, who wrote about beekeeping in De re rustica

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of varroa mite was in 1983

Rhymes for varroa mite

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Browse Nearby Words

Varro
varroa mite
Varronia
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Cite this Entry

“Varroa mite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/varroa%20mite. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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