"I'm interested in your experiences with Braula coeca (bee louse) particularly in relate to its juxtaposition with Varroa in the early days of its establishment in North American honey bee stocks"

Hello Peter,
Impossible for a beekeeper to confuse both insects, they are different, the bee louse is higher on its legs it also does not appear as shiny as the Varroa, I could distinguish some wrinkles on the abdomen. As far as I remember, it was easier to see Braula compare to Varroa. We could see several installed on the thorax of the queen, sometimes 4 or 5. It did not seem to disturb the queen. I did not have the impression it was a problem at all, because the Braula robs the food from the nurses feeding the queen, but not arming the honeybee like Varroa is doing. I had never noticed the Braula on the workers, may be it was possible to have them on the workers, with my good eyes at that time, I have not seen any, except on the queen.

Back then, we were not having so many health problems as today.
When we started to use amitraz in France in 1984 (anti-Varroa Schering coming from UK), the Braula coeca disappeared, as well as the tracheal mites. We can still see the Braula coeca in our black honeybee conservatory, in Ouessant island France, still free from Varroa.
By the way, when I was keeping honeybees in Greeneville TN in the early eighties, I have not seen any of them there, I wonder why..
Hope it can help
Georges, France

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