Thursday, August 18, 2011

Bee Lice



No bigger than the head of a pin, insects of the “Braula” genus live clinging to the fuzzy body of a honeybee and feed on nectar straight from the host’s mouth, even tickling the bee’s face until it regurgitates. Interestingly, these “lice” are actually flies, like the common housefly, but completely devoid of wings. Why bother with them, when you live on another winged insect? Think of it like a tiny kiwi living on an eagle…and drinking its puke.

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