Seq # 490020010

Galleria mellonella (Linnaeus, 1758) Species

Last modified: Oct. 26, 2023, 1:55 p.m.


A fairly common species in most areas of Belgium, with most observations in the northern part of the country.


Details

Classification
Family: Pyralidae > Subfamily: Galleriinae > Tribus: Galleriini > Genus: Galleria > Species: Galleria mellonella
Vernacular names
Grote wasmot (NL), Wax Moth (EN), Teigne de la cire (FR), Große Wachsmotte (DE)
Synonyms
Galleria cerella (Fabricius, 1775)
First mention in Belgium
De Sélys-Longchamps E. 1844. Énumération des insectes Lépidoptères de la Belgique. — Mémoires de la Société royale des Sciences de Liége 2: 1–35. On page 23 (as cerella). view page
Status

Native


Distribution


Imago

Wingspan 29–40 mm.

Museum specimens

No pictures yet!

Specimens in nature


Bionomics

The larvae live on the comb in bee-hives, preferably an old one, in a silk-lined gallery. They hibernate and later pupate in their cocoon.
The moths are active at night and come to light or sugar.

No pictures yet!

Flight periods

The adults have been observed mainly from April till October.


Observed on

Substrates:
Wax

The larvae eat from the wax.

No pictures yet!