Braula coeca

Nitzsch, 1818

bee louse, bee fly, braulid

Braula coeca is a tiny, wingless in the that lives as an or commensalist in colonies of the western , . attach to adult and feed by stealing food from the 's mouth during . The possesses highly specialized attachment structures adapted to grip the bee's hairy surface, with featuring -like that match bee hair diameter. Host selection is mediated by of , particularly and substance, allowing the to target bees with higher trophallactic activity.

Cain1764 by wikipedia. Used under a Public domain license.

The bee louse Braula coeca attached to the head region of its host, the honeybee Apis mellifera scutellata by Thies H. Büscher, Dennis S. Petersen, Nienke N. Bijma, Fabian Bäumler, Christian W. W. Pirk, Sebastian Büsse, Lars Heepe, Stanislav N. Gorb. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

The exceptional attachment ability of the ectoparasitic bee louse Braula coeca (Diptera, Braulidae) on the honeybee Figure 1 by Thies H. Büscher,Dennis S. Petersen,Nienke N. Bijma,Fabian Bäumler,Christian W. W. Pirk,Sebastian Büsse,Lars Heepe,Stanislav N. Gorb. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Braula coeca: /ˈbraʊla ˈkɔɪka/

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Identification

Distinguished from other by association with ; Megabraula occur on different Apis species. Wingless condition and minute size separate from other . with -like is diagnostic for the . Specific identification requires examination of association and subtle morphological features.

Images

Appearance

Tiny wingless . lack functional and , with reduced . equipped with strongly broadened split into numerous -like that match the diameter of hairs. stoppers on tarsal prevent overflexion. Body size minute relative to .

Habitat

Exclusively within colonies of the western , . Found on within the hive environment, attached to the hairy surfaces of , , and .

Distribution

Distribution coincides with that of its . Present in colonies across the host's range. GBIF records indicate presence in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Diet

Feeds by stealing food from the mouth of during ; specifically takes regurgitated nectar, , or other food materials from the host's .

Host Associations

Apis mellifera - /commensalistWestern ; primary and obligate . Attaches to , , and with varying .

Behavior

attach to using specialized that generate strong friction against bee hairs, with safety factors around 1130 times body weight. Host selection involves eavesdropping on , showing preference for bees with higher concentrations of (9-oxo-2(E)-decenoic acid) and substance (10-hydroxy-2(E)-decenoic acid). Can rapidly detach by tarsal chain torsion. Remounts preferred hosts after removal.

Ecological Role

or commensalist in colonies. Impact on is generally considered minor, though classified as pest in some contexts.

Human Relevance

Minor pest of managed colonies. Occasionally noted in contexts but rarely requires active management. Presence indicates colony activity but generally not economically significant.

Similar Taxa

Megabraula speciesOther in ; distinguished by association with different Apis (e.g., Apis dorsata, A. cerana) rather than A. mellifera
Other wingless Diptera (e.g., some Hippoboscidae)Superficially similar wingless condition; distinguished by , to , and tarsal structure

More Details

Taxonomic note

contains two (Braula and Megabraula) with eight total. Braula coeca is the only species associated with .

Attachment mechanics

Average safety factor of attachment force to body weight is approximately 1130, among the highest recorded for attachment systems. interlock with hairs, generating friction when hairs slip into narrow gaps between .