Do Chaetodactylus krombeini have a host sex preference?

Osmia lignaria, Blue Orchard Bees (BOBs) are important pollinators. BOBs are solitary bees
that provide provisions of nectar and pollen for offspring within partitioned nests.
Chaetodactylus krombeini are kleptoparasitic mites that feed on BOB pollen provisions. This
can cause bee larvae to become smaller, less effective pollinators. As provisions dwindle, mites
may attack BOB progeny for a substitute food source. Most life stages of C. krombeini are
present throughout bee development, however formation of heteromorphic deutonymphs is
attributed to large mite populations and food shortages. Phoretic deutonymphs attach to
emerging adult bees and drop off when nest provisioning begins.
I hypothesize that phoretic deutonymphs will show a preference for larvae of one sex over the
other when dropping off a provisioning bee. Field trials will be conducted with two treatment
groups: control of mated females producing offspring of both sexes, and treatment of unmated
females, producing only males. Flight cages will be distributed between treatment groups in a
random pairwise pattern. Throughout the study, nests will be checked every other day for
nesting progress and mite infestation. Frequency tests will be used to determine if significant
differences in mite distribution exist between treatment groups. I expect to find more mites distal
to nests’ opening, the typical female position, as only female provision nests which provide
mites the mode to establish new colonies. Results will be presented.