The first report on Varroa jacobsoni in Bee World was published in 1967 (pages 119–121), and an article by P. Akratanakul and M. Burgett appeared in 1975 entitled‘Varroa jacobsoni: a prospective pest of honeybees in many parts of the world’. The spread of Varroa into a number of countries occurred from 1977 onwards.As early as 1962 (pages 81–82) A. S. Michael reported on another mite Tropilaelaps clarea, found in collections of dead honeybees from an apiary in the Philippines. Much has been published since, but it still does not seem to be sufficiently realized that this mite could become as serious a pest of honeybees in the world at large as Varroa. Some believe that it could be more serious. This article brings the information up to date.