Varroa Mites

From ILB

Varroa mites are mentioned throughout ilovebees.com (http://www.ilovebees.com) as the reason why Margaret can no longer sell her honey. These mites infest honeybee colonies and attach themselves to the adults and their brood, sucking blood and causing malformities. They can be very destructive and usually must be treated with pesticides, which also means the hives can not be farmed for honey.

Curious notes about the mites related to ILB include the fact that it's misspelled once, and that Margaret's species of bees is supposed to be sturdy against infestations.

University of Kentucky article on Varroa Mites (http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/struct/ef608.htm)

With respect to Bungie lore, it has been noted that the Varroa Mites bear some resemblance to The Flood.