As of the writing of this post in early 2026, Tropilaelaps (tropi) mites are not in North America.
As a beekeeper, these are terrifying pests. Varroa is bad enough. It’s said that these parasitic arachnids are much like the varroa, but faster, smaller, and breeding at a higher rate.
Feeding on bee larvae and pupae blood, they cause parasitic mite syndrome (PMS) This leads to hive abandonment, or what we call a colony abscond. They are tiny at 1mm in size, making it difficult to see them. They may cause colony collapse much faster than varroa. They do not live on adult bees, like the varroa does.
Management seems to be found in brood breaks, which is also a technique in varroa management. As used in varroa treatments, formic acid (organic) and other manmade treatments such as Amitraz, will reduce tropi populations.