Abstract: The biological characteristics of the endoparasitic mite, Locustacarus buchneri, of bumblebees Bombus lucorum and B. hypocrite in Xinjiang and Hebei were observed. The results showed that the ratio of parasitism in B. lucorum and B. hypocrite were 10.43% and 8.3%, respectively. The parasitic position for the mite was the trachea and air sac of the host. The mite population in the queen reared for 30 d was higher than that in the queen reared for 60 d. The average weight of the unparasitized queen was obviously higher than that of the parasitized queen, while there is no difference in the first date of oviposition and the rates of oviposition, oophagy and survival between the queens unparasitized and those parasitized.

Key words: Tracheal mite, Locustacarus buchneri, Bombus lucorum, Bombus hypocrite, biological characteristics