General Description of the Bee Mite Family Ascidae

This family is distributed worldwide and includes 34 genera. Ascid mites live in soil, leaf litter, subcortical situations and are often associated with other animals (Halliday et al., 1998). The mites are mostly predators, but also can feed on fungal mycelium; some are parasitic. Several species of the genus Proctolaelaps are obligatory associates of bumblebees. The genera Lasioseiusand Blattisocius were recorded from beehives in North America and the Old World (Basha and Yousef, 2001; Bregetova, 1977; Chinniah and Mohanasundaram, 1995; Crozier, 1989; Haragsim et al., 1978; Malabanan and Corpuz-Raros, 1998). In addition, Melichares agilis Hering, 1838 was found in beehives in Europe (Haragsim et al., 1978), and Antennoseius sp. and Gamasellodes bicolor (Berlese, 1918) were recorded from beehives in Iran (Kamali at al., 2001; Mosaddegh, 1997).