Biology of greater wax moth Galleria mellonella L. during dearth period

Abstract

Eggs of greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella L. are small sized, spherical, whitish at early stage and creamish to light brownish at later stages. Instar wise length (mm), width (mm) and head capsule size (mm) respectively were 1.10 ± 0.10 mm, 0.23 ± 0.06 mm and 0.20 ± 0.02 mm (1st instar); 1.96 ± 0.02mm, 0.33 ± 0.06 mm and 0.33 ± 0.02 mm (2nd instar); 4.46 ± 0.35 mm, 0.37 ± 0.14 mm and 0.37 ± 0.01 mm (3rd instar); 6.33 ± 0.55 mm, 0.68 ± 0.31 mm and 0.66 ± 0.02 mm (4th instar); 7.57 ± 0.45 mm, 2.33 ± 0.58 mm and 2.13 ± 0.12 mm (5th instar); 15.47 ± 0.60 mm, 2.73 ± 0.81 mm and 2.70 ± 0.02 mm (6th instar) and 20.97 ± 0.57 mm, 2.73 ± 1.27 mm and 2.71 ± 0.01 mm (7th instar). Female pupal developmental period was 10.67 ± 0.58 days as compared to 9.33 ± 0.58 days in male. Adult male moth was observed to be smaller than the female. Fore wings of male moths were light grey while slightly deeper grey in female moths, and had the filiform type long antenna. Length of adult female was 18.03 ± 2.00 mm with 27.23 ± 2.54 mm wing span as compared to 12.77 ± 0.80 mm length and 16.03 ± 0.95 mm wings span in male. Female lifespan was 11.33 ± 0.58 days and male was 23.67 ± 0.58 days. A female laid 1063.33 ± 74.89 eggs in her lifespan with 196.60 ± 45.19 eggs laid per day.