''Braula'' is a genus of
flies
Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advanced ...
(Diptera) in the family
Braulidae
Braulidae, or bee lice, is a family of fly, true flies (''Diptera'') with seven species in two genera, ''Braula'' and ''Megabraula''. They are found in honey bee colonies due to their phoretic, inquiline, and kleptoparasitic relationships with t ...
. These are very unusual flies, wingless and flattened, and barely recognizable as Diptera. ''
Braula coeca
''Braula coeca'', the bee louse, is a species of bee louse in the family Braulidae
Braulidae, or bee lice, is a family of fly, true flies (''Diptera'') with seven species in two genera, ''Braula'' and ''Megabraula''. They are found in honey ...
'' Nitzsch is a pest of
honey bees
A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the current cosmo ...
. The larvae tunnel through the
wax
Waxes are a diverse class of organic compounds that are lipophilic, malleable solids near ambient temperatures. They include higher alkanes and lipids, typically with melting points above about 40 °C (104 °F), melting to give low ...
honeycomb
A honeycomb is a mass of Triangular prismatic honeycomb#Hexagonal prismatic honeycomb, hexagonal prismatic Beeswax, wax cells built by honey bees in their beehive, nests to contain their larvae and stores of honey and pollen.
beekeeping, Beekee ...
and the adults are found on the bodies of honey bees. There is some debate whether the bee louse causes damage to the honey bee. These flies sometimes can be found at places where bees congregate such as flowers or salt licks, waiting to grab onto hosts from uninfested nests.
''Braula'' is cosmopolitan and about 1.6 mm in length.
Species
*''
Braula coeca
''Braula coeca'', the bee louse, is a species of bee louse in the family Braulidae
Braulidae, or bee lice, is a family of fly, true flies (''Diptera'') with seven species in two genera, ''Braula'' and ''Megabraula''. They are found in honey ...
''
Nitzsch, 1818
*''
Braula kohli
''Braula'' is a genus of flies (Diptera) in the family Braulidae. These are very unusual flies, wingless and flattened, and barely recognizable as Diptera. ''Braula coeca'' Nitzsch is a pest of honey bees. The larvae tunnel through the wax honey ...
''
Schmitz, 1914
*''
Braula orientalis''
Òròsi Pál, 1963
*''
Braula pretoriensis''
Òròsi Pál, 1939
*''
Braula schmitzi''
Òròsi Pál, 1939
References
External links
''Braula coeca'', bee louseon the
University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
/
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is a teaching, research and Extension scientific organization focused on agriculture and natural resources. It is a partnership of federal, state, and county governmen ...
''Featured Creatures'' website
Photograph of a bee louse
Braulidae
Western honey bee pests
Carnoidea genera
Diptera of Europe
Diptera of Africa
Diptera of Asia
Diptera of North America
Diptera of South America
Diptera of Australasia
Wingless Diptera
Taxa named by Christian Ludwig Nitzsch
{{Carnoidea-stub