Resistance of Galleria mellonella (Linnaeus) to the Tipula iridescent virus at high temperatures

Abstract

At 23° to 25°C, the larvae of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella (Linnaeus), which had been inoculated intrahemocoelically with the noninclusion virus of Tipula paludosa Meigen died of infection with the virus. At temperatures above 30°C, the virus-inoculated larvae survived to adults. Inasmuch as the virus was inoculated directly into the hemocoel, the resistance of the larvae at high temperatures was due to the destruction of the virus or the prevention of virus multiplication by immune and nonimmune host reactions, and not to the failure of the virus to penetrate into the hemocoel.