# Varroa (*Varroa destructor*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/varroa  
Data as of: 2026-11-13

Varroa (Varroa destructor), also called Varroa mite, is an arachnid in the family Varroidae and the order Mesostigmata. It is classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class Arachnida, suborder Monogynaspida, superfamily Dermanyssoidea and genus Varroa. The species was named by Anderson & Trueman, 2000, and the Catalogue of Life lists it as living, not extinct. Checklists record it in Australia.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Age at maturity | 6 days – 7 days |
| Reproduction | Eggs |
| Conservation status | Not recorded |
| Countries on record | 1 country |

## Introduced range

The Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species lists it as introduced in 20 countries, and flagged as invasive in 5 of them. Introduced: Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Chile, Czechia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Iraq, Ireland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, St. Lucia, Sweden, United States, Venezuela. Invasive: Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Poland, Sweden. Source: https://griis.org/ (CC BY 4.0).

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Arthropoda
- class: Arachnida
- order: Mesostigmata
- family: Varroidae
- genus: Varroa
- species: *Varroa destructor* Anderson & Trueman, 2000

## Countries on record

Countries where Catalogue of Life checklists list the species. Many checklists carry no country data, so the list is often incomplete. It is not a range map.

Australia

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is Varroa?

Varroa is an arachnid in the family Varroidae, order Mesostigmata, class Arachnida.

### What is the scientific name of Varroa?

Its scientific name is Varroa destructor, and it is also called Varroa mite.

### Who named Varroa destructor and when?

Varroa destructor was named by Anderson & Trueman, 2000.

### Is Varroa extinct?

No. The Catalogue of Life lists Varroa as living, not extinct.

### Which countries is Varroa recorded in?

Checklists record Varroa in Australia.

### What family does Varroa belong to?

Varroa belongs to the family Varroidae, in the superfamily Dermanyssoidea and suborder Monogynaspida.

### Is the varroa an invasive species?

In some places. The Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species flags the varroa as invasive in 5 countries: Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Poland and Sweden. It lists it as introduced in 20 in all.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS)](https://griis.org/), CC BY 4.0, 2026-11-13. Pagad, S., Genovesi, P., Carnevali, L., Schigel, D. & McGeoch, M.A. (2018) Introducing the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species. Scientific Data 5: 170202. https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2017.202. Country checklists published through GBIF by the IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group.
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Varroa (Varroa destructor). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/varroa