Honey-bee-associate
Guides
Braula
bee lice, bee louse
Braula is a genus of wingless, highly modified flies in the family Braulidae. Adults are obligate commensals of honey bees (Apis mellifera), living on the bodies of workers, queens, and drones and stealing food during trophallaxis. Larvae tunnel through wax honeycomb. The genus is cosmopolitan and contains five described species, with Braula coeca being the most studied.
Braulidae
bee lice, bee louse
Braulidae is a family of highly modified, wingless flies (Diptera) comprising two genera—Braula and Megabraula—with approximately seven to eight described species. These insects are obligate associates of honey bees (Apis spp.), exhibiting a commensal to kleptoparasitic lifestyle. Adults are minute (1.6–3 mm), reddish-brown, and superficially resemble mites or lice due to their reduced morphology. They attach to bee bodies using specialized claw structures and feed by intercepting food during trophallaxis. The family has undergone extensive morphological simplification associated with this specialized host relationship.