Affected hosts
- Apis mellifera
Infestation or commensalism by Braula coeca
Braula
A small wingless fly that lives on adult bees, especially on the queen, and feeds near the host's mouthparts. It is usually regarded as a commensal or a parasite of low economic importance. The larvae may tunnel superficially through honey cappings and reduce the commercial quality of comb honey.
Agent
Braula coeca
Notifiable in Portugal
No
Signs to watch for
Adult bees
- Small reddish-brown, flattened, wingless organisms on the thorax or head of bees
- Higher concentration on the queen
- Fast movement between the bee's hairs
Colony
- Fine, branching galleries on honey cappings
- Usually no clinically relevant colony signs
Confirmation and identification
Field observation and monitoring
- Visual inspection of the queen and adult bees
- Observation of flattened, wingless individuals
- Inspection of superficial galleries on honey cappings
Laboratory methods
- Morphological identification by an entomologist when needed
Control and impact reduction
Good practices
- Confirm the identification correctly before any intervention
- Assess whether there is real impact before treating
- Avoid unnecessary transfer of material between colonies
Prevention
- Inspect colonies and queens before introducing them into the apiary
- Maintain traceability of movements
- Renew degraded comb
- Avoid unnecessary treatments
Ongoing monitoring
Indicators
- Number of Braula observed on the queen
- Presence in a worker sample
- Percentage of combs with galleries
- Impact on the sale of comb honey
Recommended frequency
- During routine inspections, especially when organisms are seen on the queen or when galleries are noticed on honey cappings