Varroa Mite Development Timeline
| Worker Brood Timeline | Worker Bee Action | Mite timeline | Mite Action | Beekeeper Observations |
| Indicates period of detection Uncapping/Recapping | ||||
| Day 1 – 8 | Egg to larvae development | Foundress mite already hiding in cell from day 7 | ||
| Day 9 | Cell capped | Foundress mite creates a feed hole in larva | ||
| Day 10 | Day 1 | |||
| Day 11 | Day 2 | |||
| Day 12 | Day 3 | Male egg laid | ||
| Day 13 | Day 4 | |||
| Day 14 | Pale eyes – detect & remove | Day 5 | Daughter 1 egg laid | Bee larvae/exoskeleton evidence on boards: Uncapping & recapping of cells |
| Day 15 | Pink eyes – detect & remove | Day 6 | Daughter 2 eggs laid | Bee larvae/exoskeleton evidence on boards: Uncapping & recapping of cells |
| Day 16 | Purple eyes – detect & remove | Day 7 | Daughter 3 eggs laid | Bee larvae/exoskeleton evidence on boards: Uncapping & recapping of cells |
| Day 17 | Purple eyes – Detect & remove | Day 8 | Male mite sexually matures | Bee larvae/exoskeleton evidence on boards: Uncapping & recapping of cells |
| Day 18 | Day 9 | |||
| Day 19 | Worker Bees need to detect mites and remove BEFORE Day 10 | Day 10 | ||
| Day 20 | Day 11 | Mating | ||
| Day 21 | Day 12 | Mating Foundress mite exits cell with 1 – 2 offspring. Male & unmated females die |
