The Biology and Control of the Greater Wax Moth, Galleria mellonella

Abstract

The greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella Linnaeus, is a ubiquitous pest of the honeybee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, and Apis cerana Fabricius. The greater wax moth larvae burrow into the edge of unsealed cells with pollen, bee brood, and honey through to the midrib of honeybee comb. Burrowing larvae leave behind masses of webs which causes galleriasis and later absconding of colonies. The damage caused by G. mellonella larvae is severe in tropical and sub-tropical regions, and is believed to be one of the contributing factors to the decline in both feral and wild honeybee populations. Previously, the pest was considered a nuisance in honeybee colonies, therefore, most studies have focused on the pest as a model for in vivo studies of toxicology and pathogenicity. It is currently widespread, especially in Africa, and the potential of transmitting honeybee viruses has raised legitimate concern, thus, there is need for more studies to find sustainable integrated management strategies. However, our knowledge of this pest is limited. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge on the biology, distribution, economic damage, and management options. In addition, we provide prospects that need consideration for better understanding and management of the pest.

Mating‐based regulation and ligand binding of an odorant‐binding protein support the inverse sexual communication of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

“…The proposed explanation is that males have exploited chemosensory proteins already present in females for host‐seeking (Phelan, ; Conner and Iyengar, ). Interestingly, G. mellonella males emit aldehydes that have also been identified in bee hives (Torto et al ., ; Schmitt et al ., ; Manyi‐Loh et al ., ; Kwadha et al ., ). Hence, we believe that this has influenced the limited number of OBPs.…”

“…This latter point is supported by the unique up‐regulation of OBP7 from a panel of 20 genes, being a probable candidate for a host volatile recognizer and transporter. It is worth mentioning that G. mellonella females have a host range limited to bee hives, and are probably tuned to bee‐derived volatiles as has already been proposed for mated females (Kwadha et al ., ). By contrast, G. mellonella males appear to up‐regulate the expression of OBPs after mating, probably to respond to reproductions.…”

Isolation of Entomopathogenic Bacteria From Larvae of a Lepidopteran Specie; Galleria Mellonella and Study of Their Insecticidal Effect

“…Previously, the pest was Considered a nuisance in honeybee colonies, it is currently widespread, especially in Africa, and the potential of transmitting honeybee viruses has raised legitimate concern. (Kwadha et al, 2017). The wax moth was first reported in honeybee colonies of Asian honeybee Apis cerana (Paddock, 1918), but later spread to northern Africa, and other parts of the world (Akratanakul , 1987).…”

Avaliação da eficácia de agentes fí­sicos e químicos contra biofilmes produzidos por clones de bactérias multirresistentes de importância clínica e epidemiológica no Brasil

“…Atualmente, além da busca de novos compostos antimicrobianos, diferentes modelos de infecção têm sido avaliados, a fim de investigar a atividade destes compostos in vivo, minimizando o impacto relacionado à manipulação de animais de experimentação (KWADHA et al, 2017;FREIRES et al, 2017;BENTHALL et al, 2015;PELEG et al, 2009…”

“…armazenados nos favos das colmeias, esse invertebrado tem sido considerado uma praga para a apicultura, sendo considerada a segunda maior causa de prejuízo econômico para a indústria de mel(KWADHA et al , 2017;VILCINSKAS, 2016;CHANTAWANNAKUL et al, 2016;PIRK et al, 2015;ZACARIN et al, 2004). 5B) e seu peso pode dobrar diariamente nos dez primeiros dias; iii) pupa, onde a larva tece um casulo de seda e apresenta coloração amarelo-avermelhado, com tamanho entre 2-4mm de largura e 8-12mm de comprimento; iv) adulta, onde cada mariposa apresenta cerca de uma semana de longevidade.…”