Braula (Braula coeca) is a wingless fly, and is occasionally incorrectly called a bee louse.

This insect lives in honey bee colonies, but is not considered a significant pest or threat to the welfare of honey bees.

It lives on the bodies of bees, holding tightly onto the adult bee with a set of comb-like structures on its front legs.

The braula fly does not damage or parasitise any stage of the honey bee life cycle.

A number of braula flies can be observed on a single queen, which may reduce the food available to the queen and impair her egg-laying ability.

This Primefact contains information on:

• braula fly life cycle
• diagnosing braula fly
• treatments
• transmission
• seriousness