wax moth

Greyish-brown moth with a wing span of about 3 cm/1.2 in that is a pest of beehives.

The adult female moth penetrates the hive and lays her eggs directly on the comb. The larvae feed on the wax, the pollen, and even, if there are many larvae, on the host's brood.

Proper care of the hive, and fumigating the combs before storing them, tends to keep wax moths under control.

Classification Wax moths Galleria mellonella are in family Pyralidae, order Lepidoptera, class Insecta, phylum Arthropoda.