Bee Louse - Blind Fly in a Hive

Two-winged insects of the genus Braula are parasites of honey bees. They appear where hives are built. Bee louse annoys the uterus most of all, but working bees suffer from its presence. Insects become restless, trying to get rid of the parasite. Bee louse or braula causes a specific disease - braulosis. For treatment, drugs in the form of thermal tablets and shaggy smoke are used.

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Bee louse (Braula coeca) belongs to the family Braulidae (Braulidae). It belongs to the order of dipterans or flies. The parasitic lifestyle greatly changed the appearance of the fly. She lost her wings, ground beetle and organs of vision. The body color is brown, size 1.3-1.7 mm. The head is large, flattened, triangular in shape. The oral apparatus is directed downward, it consists of the upper and lower lips, the maxillary palps. The antennae are bright.

Information. On one queen bee can be up to 60 parasites. Their effect reduces the number of eggs, depletes the bee.

The chest is short, the abdomen is extended, oval in shape. In females, tserki are located in the last segment, and in males, the reproductive apparatus. The abdomen is covered with hairs. Three pairs of limbs are attached to the chest. The hips are thick, the foot is 5-segmented. At the end of the foot is a tool that helps to stay on the body of the owner. It consists of two pads and a comb of chitin cloves.

Distribution area

Bee louse lives on all continents where its owner lives. Insects are found in Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa, Australia.

Power Features

Braula does not bite honey bees like a typical parasite; it feeds on honey and pollen. Lice are held on the head and chest of the owner, so that at the right time appear near the mouth organs. Parasites irritate the bee's upper lip, striking with their legs. In response to irritation, the bee burps a drop of honey from the goiter, which the parasite licks. Another common way of feeding is by eating food transferred to the uterus by working bees.

Lifestyle

Browls enter a bee colony with an infected uterus or honeycombs. They are able to attach to other flying insects - bumblebees, bronzes. The bee louse has strong cloves on its legs that clings to the pubescence of the bees. The uterus is chosen for a sedentary lifestyle and frequent feeding. From 10 to 50 parasites settle on it, on working bees - 2-3. The greatest harm to the family is done in late summer. A depleted uterus may die. Parasites winter in a bee ball. By spring, families weaken, many bees die.

Information. Brown is sometimes confused with other parasites of honey bees - Varroa Jacobsoni mites. Both insects are small, oval, red-brown. They can be distinguished by the number of limbs: in lice - 3 pairs, in ticks - 4 pairs.

Larval development

Females lay eggs on various surfaces of the hive, but offspring emerge from those that were laid on honey. White oval eggs 0.7 mm in size are placed in the cell under the lid until it is sealed. Embryonic development depending on temperature takes 5-7 days. The body of the larva of the first age is less than 1 mm. The front end is pointed, with its help tunnels are laid in the caps of the cells. Winding passages are clearly visible on the surface of the honeycomb.They do not harm bees, aesthetic damage is done to honey sold in combs. Larvae feed on wax and pollen.

The size of the tunnel changes as the larva grows older. Initially, its diameter does not exceed 0.5 mm, then expands to - .8 mm. At the end of the course, pupation of the larva that has completed its development occurs. The offspring of lice replaces 3 ages in 44-52 days. Pupation occurs in larval skin. Pupae are yellowish, size 1.5-1.7 mm. The phase lasts up to two weeks. Bee lice appeared from a cocoon of white color with soft integuments. The body of the imago begins to darken from the head, the color completely changes in 12-14 hours.

Prevention and control methods

As a prophylaxis, it is recommended to closely monitor bees brought from other apiaries. In the spring, once every 10-14 days, they clean the bottom of the hives. Wax caps of honeycombs are removed and reheated. To get rid of lice, thermal plates and phenothiazine tablets are used. They are heated and smoke is let into the hive for 15-20 minutes. The course consists of three treatments with an interval of a day. After 7-10 days, the procedure is repeated. One of the ways to fight is fumigation with tobacco smoke. Parasites do not tolerate naphthalene. On the bottom of the hive, covered with paper, put 6-10 g of the substance, leave it overnight. In the morning, fallen lice are removed from the bottom and destroyed.

To avoid being infected with Browls in the hives, it is necessary to maintain cleanliness and moderate humidity.