Affected hosts
- Apis mellifera
Galleria mellonella
Greater wax moth
Comb pest, especially in weak colonies and stored material. Larvae tunnel through comb, spin webbing, and can destroy frames and wax combs.
Agent
Galleria mellonella
Notifiable in Portugal
No
Signs to watch for
Adult bees
- Webbing
- Tunnels
- Larvae
- Cocoons
- Collapsed comb
Brood
- Comb destruction
- Frame damage
- Stored-material losses
Colony
- Weak colonies
- Poorly stored comb
- Warm storage conditions
Confirmation and identification
Field observation and monitoring
- Large wax moth adults
- Silky webbing
- Larval galleries in comb
- Regular inspection of stored combs
Laboratory methods
- Inspect both colonies and stored material before deciding on control.
Control and impact reduction
Good practices
- Freeze comb according to a safe protocol
- Remove damaged material
- Render irrecoverable combs
Prevention
- Store clean comb
- Keep storage cool, dry, and ventilated
- Separate suspect material
- Use cold or controlled heat according to protocol
- Household or agricultural insecticides on comb
- Products that leave residues
- Mixing infested and clean material
Ongoing monitoring
Indicators
- Affected frames
- Observed larvae
- Storage temperature
Recommended frequency
- Monitor especially during warm periods and whenever stored comb remains unprotected.