Pheromone-eavesdropping
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Braula coeca
bee louse, bee fly, braulid
Braula coeca is a tiny, wingless fly in the family Braulidae that lives as an ectoparasite or commensalist in colonies of the western honey bee, Apis mellifera. Adults attach to adult bees and feed by stealing food from the host's mouth during trophallaxis. The species possesses highly specialized attachment structures adapted to grip the bee's hairy surface, with claw morphology featuring comb-like teeth that match bee hair diameter. Host selection is mediated by detection of mandibular gland pheromones, particularly queen substance and worker substance, allowing the louse to target bees with higher trophallactic activity.