Braula, the bee louse is a wingless fly. The adults are small (slightly smaller than the head of a dressmaking pin), reddish brown in color. The colouration and size is similar to the varroa mite however braula have six legs, while varroa have eight legs. While several adults are often seen on a queen, usually only one will be found per worker.

These do little harm to the bees, but the larvae disfigure comb by burrowing through cappings. They are not parasitic, they merely steal food from the worker bees.

With the advent of varroa and the treatments that are dispensed to deal with it, braula is much reduced as it succumbs to most miticides.