Ovicidal and larvicidal effects of two essential oils (Citrus sinensis and Ocimum basilicum) on the development cycle of wax moth Galleria mellonella in tropical hives

Abstract

The greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, is one of the ubiquitous pests of honey bee colonies worldwide. The economic importance of moths has led to a number of studies on the life cycle, biology, behavior, ecology, molecular biology, physiology, and control of the wax moth. Our study aims to verify the effectiveness of two essential oils against the greater moth Galleria mellonella L. The essential oils of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) and basil (Ocimum basilicum) tested on the greater wax moth, have presented various degrees of activity against G. mellonella eggs and larvae. The highest aborted egg rate and the highest mortality were recorded with the mixture of sweet orange oil (Citrus sinensis) and basil (Ocimum basilicum ) (respectively 91.27% and 65.33%) while the lowest aborted egg rates and mortality were recorded with basil oil ( Ocimum basilicum ) (respectively 75.77% and 15.67%). These treatments appear to be safe for pollinators, humans, and the environment, and the essential oils applied are readily available and inexpensive.