Greater Wax Moth Galleria mellonella (Linnaeus, 1758)Non-native    Synonyms: Bee Moth, Hodges #5622, Honeycomb Moth, Phalaena mellonella, Waxworm.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Lepidoptera   >   Family Pyralidae   >   Genus Galleria   

Status:

This species is cosmopolitan now, expected worldwide wherever honey bees occur. It is the only member of its genus in North America.

Relationships:

According to BugGuide: "Larvae feed on beeswax, dried apples and other fruits, crude sugar, pollen, cast skins of larval bees, and dead insects... A pest of unprotected honey bee combs in weakened colonies or neglected hives." BugGuide also cites University of Georgia: "As the larvae chew through the comb, they spin a silk-lined tunnel through the cell walls and over the face of the comb. These silk threads can tether emerging bees by their abdomens to their cells and they die of starvation because they are unable to escape from their cell. This phenomenon is termed galleriasis."

Humans also use this species for fishing bait.

There are 33 records in the project database.

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Greater Wax Moth in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/20/2013). Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

A Greater Wax Moth in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/20/2013). Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

A Greater Wax Moth in Frederick Co., Maryland (8/15/2019). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

A Greater Wax Moth in Frederick Co., Maryland (8/18/2017). Photo by Mark Etheridge. (MBP list)

Greater Wax Moth in Frederick Co., Maryland (8/13/2021). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

A Greater Wax Moth in Prince George's Co., Maryland. Photo by Bob Patterson. (MBP list)

A Greater Wax Moth in Howard Co., Maryland (8/14/2005). Determined by John Glaser. Photo by Larry Line. (MBP list)

A Greater Wax Moth in Howard Co., Maryland (8/14/2005). Determined by John Glaser. Photo by Larry Line. (MBP list)

A Greater Wax Moth in Howard Co., Maryland (8/14/2005). Determined by John Glaser. Photo by Larry Line. (MBP list)

A Greater Wax Moth in Howard Co., Maryland (8/14/2005). Determined by John Glaser. Photo by Larry Line. (MBP list)

A Greater Wax Moth larva found in Prince George's Co., Maryland (7/2015). It was found in a bumble bee nest built inside of a chickadee nest. The chickadee nest was in a nest box, but the bees evicted the chickadees and claimed it for themselves. The waxworm was not formally invited. Photo by Wayne Boo. Waxworm wrangling by Desiree Narango. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

A Greater Wax Moth larva found in Prince George's Co., Maryland (7/2015). It was found in a bumble bee nest built inside of a chickadee nest. The chickadee nest was in a nest box, but the bees evicted the chickadees and claimed it for themselves. The waxworm was not formally invited. Photo by Wayne Boo. Waxworm wrangling by Desiree Narango. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)


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