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GREATER WAX MOTH FACTS |
Identification
The Greater Wax Moth or Honeycomb Moth is a pest species in beehives. The adult moth is generally brown with pattern of light brown and darker brown markings. The Caterpillars are a pale yellow brown with a brown head. The Caterpillars make white cocoons covering the orange pupa.
Other Names
Honeycomb Moth
Size
wing span about 30mm
Food
Greater Wax Moth caterpillars tunnel through bee honeycombs, feeding on pollen, wax and honey. They prefer abandoned hives, or hives with weakened colony.
Breeding
The female moth can lay over 1000 eggs, usually in batches of about 100. The oval eggs are pale yellow brown and about 0.5 mm across.
Classification
| Class: | Insecta | | Order: | Lepidoptera | | Family: | Pyralidae | | Genus: | Galleria | | Species: | mellonella | | Common Name: | Greater Wax Moth |
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