Comb Wax Research Articles

Adulteration of beeswax: A first nationwide survey from Belgium.

Beeswax is intended for use in the beekeeping sector but also in the agro-food, pharmaceutical or cosmetics sectors. The adulteration of beeswax is an emerging issue that was reported lately at several occasions in the scientific literature. This issue tends to become more frequent and global, but its exact extent is not accurately defined. The present study aims to assess the current situation in Belgium through a nationwide survey. Randomized beeswax samples originating from Belgian beekeepers (N = 98) and commercial suppliers (N = 9) were analysed with a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) coupled with Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) accessory (FTIR-ATR spectroscopy) for adulteration. The survey revealed a frequency of 9.2% and 33.3% of adulteration in beekeepers beeswax samples (9 samples out of 98: 2 with paraffin and 7 with stearin/stearic acid) and commercial beeswax samples (3 samples out of 9: all adulterated with stearin/stearic acid), respectively. The analysed samples were adulterated with various percentages of paraffin (12 to 78.8%) and stearin/stearic acid (1.2 to 20.8%). This survey indicates that in the beekeepers samples, beeswax adulteration was more frequent in comb foundation and crude beeswax than in comb wax. With the example of this nationwide survey conducted in Belgium, this study shows the emergence of the issue and the urgent need for action to safeguard the health of both honey bees health and humans, in particular with the setting of a proper regulation legal framework and a specific routine analytical testing of commercial beeswax to ensure beeswax quality.

A Comparative Study between Four Different Hybrid Local Races of Honey Bee in Some Biological Activity

In this study, experiments were carried out during two seasons of 2017, 2018 using twenty colonies which contain four groups of hybrid strains, each strain contains five replicates. The experiments were carried out on four different hybrid local races bees of, Italian hybrid, Carniolan hybrid and Egyptian hybrid from two different sources (Upper Egypt and Alexandria). This study was established at the experimental apiary of the El-Sabaheia Research Station, Alexandria (27.2831North (˚N) and 30.7632 East˚(E). Honey and pollen grains were measured during the two seasons 2017 & 2018. The honey stored in cells of wax combs was measured by using a typical langstroth frame which is sub-divided into square inches by means of wire for twenty colonies during the two seasons 2017and 2018 to denote the total amount of honey in wax cells per season. The obtained data showed that the highest mean of honey yield during the season of 2017 was hybrid Carniolan local 1040.85 (inch²) /colony followed by Egyptian Upper Egypt 1013.65 (inch²), then hybrid Italian local 487.33(inch²)/colony and the lowest mean was Egyptian Alexandria. Meanwhile in the season of 2018 the data showed that the highest mean of honey yield was for the Egyptian Upper Egypt 418.88(inch²) followed by hybrid Italian local 367.84 (inch²) then Egyptian Alexandria 303.16 (inch²) and the lowest mean of honey yield was recorded during the season of 2018 for the hybrid Carniolan local 294.80 (inch²)/colony . The stored pollen in cells of wax combs that has been measured by subdivided langstroth frame in square inches was calculated and the area of stored pollen by workers in the twenty colonies were compared. The results of the current study showed that the collected pollen grains of the selected races during the season of 2017 recorded the highest mean of pollen grains in Egyptian Alexandria 142.77 (inch²)/colony followed by Egyptian upper Egypt 109.31(inch²)/colony then hybrid Carniola local 108.07 (inch²)/colony and the lowest mean of pollen grains was recorded in hybrid Italian local strain 87.82 (inch²)/colony . The highest general mean of pollen grain during season 2018 was recorded in hybrid Italian local 202.84 followed by Egyptian upper Egypt 221.32 then hybrid Carniola local 190.09 (inch²)/colony and the lowest general mean was recorded in Egyptian Alexandria 183.04 (inch²) /colony .

Suppressive Impact of 6-Benzyladenine, A Plant Growth Regulator, on the Adult Performance and Reproductive Potential of Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

The greater wax moth Galleria mellonella is responsible for serious economic losses to bee keepers in developing countries. Larvae feed on the wax comb in weak colonies or during the storage of wax combs in winter. The objective of the current study was to assess the effect of the Cytokinin plant growth regulator, Benzyladenine (6-BA), on the most important parameters of adult performance and reproductive potential of G. mellonella. The 3rd instar larvae were force-fed on an artificial diet supplemented with six concentrations, viz., 100, 10.0, 1.0, 0.1, 0.01 & 0.001ppm of 6-BA. No adult moths could metamorphose at the higher three concentrations because of larval and pupal deaths. The most important results could be summarized as follows. The adult emergence was blocked by 6-BA, in a dose-dependent course. Also, the tested compound displayed strong adulticidal activity, since adult mortality increased in a dose-dependent course. The total adult longevity of moths was significantly prolonged.All longevity compartments were remarkably prolonged. On the other hand, 6-BA failed to affect adult morphogenesis. The oviposition efficiency was deleteriously prohibited. Also, 6-BA exhibited a tremendous inhibitory effect on the female fecundity and reducing effect onfertility. The embryonic development in eggs laid by treated adult females was severely retarded, since the incubation period of these eggs was remarkably prolonged.

Honey Bee Health in Maine Wild Blueberry Production.

Simple SummaryWild blueberry is an important native North American crop that requires insect pollination. Migratory western honey bee colonies constitute the majority of commercial bees brought into Maine for pollination of wild blueberry. Currently, many stressors impact the western honey bee in the US. We designed a two-year monitoring study (2014 and 2015) to assess the potential health of honey bee colonies hired for pollination services in wild blueberry fields. We monitored the colony health of nine hive locations (three hives/location) in 2014 and nine locations (five hives/location) in 2015 during bloom (May–June). Queen health status, colony strength, rate of population increase, and pesticide residues on pollen, wax, and honey bee workers were measured. In addition, each hive was sampled to assess levels of mite parasites, viruses, and Microsporidian and Trypanosome pathogens. Different patterns in colony health were observed over the two years. Factors predicting colony growth rate over both years were Varroa mite infestation and risk due to pollen pesticide residues during bloom. In addition, recently discovered parasites and pathogens were already observed in most of the colonies suggesting that parasites and diseases spread rapidly and become established quickly in commercial honey bee colonies.A two-year study was conducted in Maine wild blueberry fields (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) on the health of migratory honey bee colonies in 2014 and 2015. In each year, three or five colonies were monitored at each of nine wild blueberry field locations during bloom (mid-May until mid-June). Colony health was measured by assessing colony strength during wild blueberry bloom. Potential factors that might affect colony health were queen failure or supersedure; pesticide residues on trapped pollen, wax comb, and bee bread; and parasites and pathogens. We found that Varroa mite and pesticide residues on trapped pollen were significant predictors of colony health measured as the rate of change in the amount of sealed brood during bloom. These two factors explained 71% of the variance in colony health over the two years. Pesticide exposure was different in each year as were pathogen prevalence and incidence. We detected high prevalence and abundance of two recently discovered pathogens and one recently discovered parasite, the trypanosome Lotmaria passim Schwartz, the Sinai virus, and the phorid fly, Apocephalus borealis Brues.

A fermented Pollen Substitute Diet Affects Wax Construction by Honey Bee Workers, (Apies mellifera L.)

Pollen substitute diets have become increasingly important for maintaining strong and healthy honey bee colonies. Palatability and nutritional value are key attributes of a good diet. Since beebread, which is pollen fermented by the bees, is the main food of the worker-nurse bees that feed and care for the bee larvae, pollen substitutes should have similar attributes. In an attempt to simulate this natural food source, an inoculum prepared from beebread was used to ferment a pollen substitute diet. In this study, it was determined the differences in the wax building by caged workers fed with different diets (sucrose syrup only, bee bread, unfermented pollen substitute diet and fermented pollen substitute diet). Comb building in honeybees was analyzed with respect to the type of food. The effects on wax combs building were assessed of the presence of beeswax foundation, and of feeding honey bees in cages. Workers fed on unfermented diets produced significantly less wax than did those fed on the fermented diets; although variation in wax production among the treatments was not significant. We conclude that fermentation by beebread-derived microorganisms could improve the palatability, consumption and nutritional value of the dies and the behavioral activities such as wax building by honey bee workers.

Comb age significantly influences the productivity of the honeybee (Apis mellifera) colony

ObjectivesThe honeybee mainly uses the wax comb for brood rearing and food storage. Repeated brood rearing in the comb changes the wax color and cell dimensions. Therefore, we aimed to study the decline of body size of the individual bees and its impact on colony productivity in relation to comb age. MethodsTwenty colonies of hybrid Carniolan honeybees, each of 12,000 bees, were used. Combs aged 1–3 years were used as new combs, and combs aged 4–6 years as old combs. The weight of the worker, queen, drone, and royal jelly (RJ)/queen cell, storing pollen and honey, and rearing worker and drone brood were determined. Results and conclusionsThe body weights of the newly emerged worker, drones, queens, and nurse and forager workers of colonies with the new combs were significantly heavier than those of the colonies with the old combs. Colonies with the new combs were significantly more active in storing pollen and honey, RJ production, and rearing workers and drones. We concluded that the body sizes of the individual bees were declined, and the productivity was decreased in the colonies with the old combs. Replace combs after three years with new others is recommended to encourage colony growth and increase productivity.

Biodegradation of polystyrene wastes by a newly reported honey bee pest Uloma sp. larvae: An insight to the ability of polystyrene-fed larvae to complete its life cycle

Commercial production of polystyrene (PS)-a persistent plastic has led to its accumulation as a major contaminant of the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem. In this study, PS degradation capabilities of beeswax eating beetle larva Uloma sp. was evaluated and reported for the first time. The study also assesses its survivability and PS biodegradation rates. Effects of added nutrition on PS degradation and survivability were analysed by providing wax comb as co-feed (PS-WC). The egested frass of Uloma sp. larvae fed on Waxcomb (WC), PS and PS-WC were studied by evaluating the changes in physiochemical properties through FTIR, 1H NMR and TGA techniques. The post consumption weight loss percentage for WC and PS were 84.89 ± 2.6% and 41.6 ± 2.7%, respectively by a group of 100 beetle larvae. From the initial 2.5 g PS the total weight loss at the end of the 28-day feeding experiment was 1.04 ± 0.02 g with a consumption rate of 37.14 mg of PS per day per 100 larvae. Supplementing the PS feed of Uloma sp. larvae with WC facilitated enhanced PS degradation. PS degradation for larvae fed with PS-WC co-feed nearly doubled compared to larvae fed on PS alone. Twenty-eight-day survival rates for Uloma larvae fed on WC, PS and PS-WC was 89.2 ± 1.01%, 78.3 ± 1.4% and 84 ± 2.97%, respectively. The average weight of beetle larvae increased by 22% over a 28 day period when fed WC or PS-WC while, showed a 4.3% increase in PS alone and an 8.2% decrease in unfed larvae. The FTIR and 1H NMR analysis of egested frass showed evidence of depolymerization and oxidation confirming effective biodegradation of PS in the gut tract of Uloma beetle larvae. Uloma sp. larvae fed WC and PS completed all life cycle stages (larvae, pupae, beetles, egg), and the second generation had favorable PS degradation.

Some biological aspects of honey bee colonies in relation to the age of beeswax combs

A study was carried out to investigate the influence of differently aged wax combs (foundation as zero, 1, 2, 3 and 4 − 6 years old) on some biological aspects that affect the productivity of honey bee colonies. Twenty-five package colonies were equally divided and situated on each of the tested combs during the spring of two successive years (2018 and 2019). The obtained results revealed that worker brood areas, worker population, worker life span, weights of newly emerged workers and drones, and honey yield significantly increased with fresh combs. However, drone brood areas increased with old combs, and wax combs age had no effect on worker survivorship. It could be concluded that the wax combs aged from zero (foundation) to three years old (light color combs) are more preferable in the performance and productivity of honey bee colonies than the older (dark color combs) ones.

Effects of sugar feeding supplemented with three plant extracts on some parameters of honey bee colonies.

Sugar feeding is crucial to bee colonies during periods without natural nectar resources. The health and the development of bee colonies are affected by the sugar feeding type. Also, some materials can be added to the sugar feeding to boost the ability of bee colonies to withstand parasites. Three materials (mint, cinnamon, and chamomile) are used commonly to control bee parasites (e.g. Varroa mites). In the present study, the effects of these materials on the development and health of bee colonies were assessed. Sugar candy supplemented with these materials plus sugar candy only as a control group were tested. Bee colonies were fed with these feeding types weekly. Then, some parameters were evaluated. The results showed the suitability of the tested feeding types to bee colonies. Building of wax foundations was accelerated in cinnamon group. This group had also the lowest infestation rates with Varroa mites, suggesting a specific role of cinnamon in Varroa control. The colony development was significantly better in chamomile group than the other groups. Mint group showed no variations than the control group in most parameters. All feeding types showed safety to bees based on morphological characteristics and bee survival results. Practically, cinnamon is advised when building of wax combs is required while chamomile is recommended when increasing strength of colonies is needed. The role of cinnamon in controlling Varroa is recommended for further investigations.

Wax moth Galleria mellonella: Blessing or blight

Wax moth is the ubiquitous pest of honeybees globally. Wax moth larva could be a terrible menace to the beekeepers as it turns the entire wax combs to a pile of debris and frass. Wax moth larva is a voracious eater tends to feed on wax combs, cast off larval bee skin, pollen, brood and honey more seriously forcing entire colony to abscond. Despite of being a nuisance to honeybees the wax moth is a well-accepted inexpensive insect model to study host pathogen interactions and various antimicrobial compounds. The unique ability of the larvae of wax moth to biodegrade plastic is one of the major breakthroughs in the history of science. The present article reviewed the taxonomical position, life cycle and control measures of wax moth in addition to its role in plastic degradation. Eventually, this review article also throws the light on both the abilities of Galleria mellonella of being a pest as well as an efficient plastic bio degrader.

Pesticide and veterinary drug residues in Belgian beeswax: Occurrence, toxicity, and risk to honey bees

Pesticide and veterinary drug residues are one of the stress factors affecting bee health and mortality. To investigate the occurrence, the concentration and the toxicity risk to bees of pesticide residues in four different types of beeswax (brood comb wax, recycled comb wax, honey comb wax, and cappings wax), 182 samples were collected from apiaries located all over the Belgian territories, during spring 2016 and analysed by LC-MS/MS and GC–MS/MS for the presence of 294 chemical residues. The toxicity risk to bees expressed as the Hazard Quotient (HQ) was calculated for each wax sample, according to two scenarios with different tau-fluvalinate LD50 values. Residues showing the highest prevalence were correlated to bee mortality in a multivariate logistic regression model and a risk-based model was used to predict colony bee mortality. Altogether, 54 different pesticide and veterinary drug residues were found in the four types of beeswax. The residues with a higher likelihood to be retained in beeswax are applied in-hive or with a high lipophilic nature. The multivariate logistic regression model showed a statistically significant influence of chlorfenvinphos on bee mortality. All our results indicated that cappings wax was substantially less contaminated. This national survey on beeswax contamination provides guidelines on the re-use of beeswax by beekeepers and shows the necessity to introduce maximum residue levels for global trade in beeswax. An online tool was developed to enable beekeepers and wax traders to estimate the risk to honey bee health associated with contaminated wax.

Evaluation of priming media and queen cup material on larval graft acceptance and queen emergence in Apis mellifera L.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of seven different priming media viz.,Apple Juice, Coconut Water, Royal Jelly, Diluted Royal Jelly, Honey Solution, Sugar Syrup, Distilled Water and dry grafting(Control) and three queen cup material viz., old comb wax, new capping wax and plastic, on larval graft acceptance and queen emergence during mass queen rearing and the variations between Autumn and Spring season under mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh. The larval graft acceptance as well as queen emergence(85.42% and 77.08%; 89.58% and 81.25%, respectively) during Autumn and Spring season, respectively was recorded significantly highest in royal jelly primed cups whereas lowest in non-primed cups. In queen cell cup material, the larval graft acceptance and queen emergence (62.50% and 57.03%; 67.97% and 63.28%, respectively) were observed maximum in old comb wax cups followed by new capping wax and plastic cups. No significant variations were recorded between spring and autumn season. The combined effect of cup material and priming media was also found non-significant. So, royal jelly as priming medium and old comb bees wax as artificial queen cell cup material are best for larval graft acceptance and queen emergence in Apis mellifera L. mass queen production in Spring and Autumn.

Consumption, digestion, and utilization of beeswax by greater wax moths (Galleria mellonella L.)

Greater wax moths (GWM, Galleria mellonella L.) are important pests of Western honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies. The larval moths feed on wax combs, cast honey bee larval skins, pollen, and some honey, leaving behind a destroyed comb containing moth silk and frass. We used standard protocols to determine how GWM larva consumption of wax comb impacts various food utilization and larval growth parameters. Five larval instars (3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th) were assessed 24 hours after molting from the prior instar stage and 48 hours before molting to the next instar stage. The consumption rate (CR) of wax was lowest for 3rd instar larvae (17.5 ± 0.8 mg consumed/day, mean ± s.e.) and highest for 7th instar larvae (515.4 ± 22.7 mg/day). The relative growth rate (RGR) was lowest for 7th instar larvae (0.05 ± 0.01 mg/day) and highest in 3rd instar larvae (0.16 ± 0.04 mg/day). A similar trend (decrease in response with increase in larval age) was observed for conversion efficiency of ingested food (ECI), conversion efficiency of digested food (ECD), and approximate digestibility (AD). Third instar larvae had significantly higher ECIs, ECDs, and ADs than did all other larval instars. The data can be used to quantify the efficiency with which the GWM larvae assimilate food and utilize it for growth.

Decision making in honeybees: a time to live, a time to die?

Honeybees that sting vertebrate predators embed and leave their stingers in the flesh of the stung animal and die shortly thereafter. To determine whether bees make life-or-death decisions based upon risk–benefit evaluations, the vigor of defenses of colonies that had a small loss potential versus those that have large loss potential was compared. Colonies 3–4 days old have small reserves, and thus, risk fewer reserves to lose to a potential predator. In contrast, colonies 19–22 days old risk large quantities of vulnerable immature brood, constructed wax comb, nectar/honey, and pollen and have limited future reproductive potential if their nest is abandoned. As predicted by a risk–benefit hypothesis, older colonies with much at risk sent proportionately larger percentages of stinging defenders to confront threats than younger colonies with less to lose. The percentage of defenders that issue from the 19–22-day-old colonies correlated with the population of workers within the colonies. The percentage of workers that attack strongly increased as the weight of colony-fixed resources within the combs increased. In queenless colonies having no potential to reproduce by swarming and little, or no, reserves of nectar or pollen, only a small percentage of workers defended the colony. These results provide support for the ability of defending honeybee workers to make life-or-death decisions based on evaluating risks of colony loss versus the benefit derived from their personal loss of life.

Is It Possible to Use Entomopathogenic Nematodes inside Honey Bee, (Apis mellifera L.) Colonies?

Some hypotheses supported the concept that entomopathogenic nematodes are safe bio-agents, causing low infection probability to honey bee workers and brood under colonies conditions and have no effects on the colony strength and might be used as a bio-control agent against the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella.However, the obtained results showed that the mortality percentages in bee larvae after treatment with EPNs ranged from 49.2% to 77.6 % in the case ofSteinernema sp. isolates and from 39.8% to 55.2 % in Heterorhabditis sp. isolates under the colony conditions, the nematode infection inside the entire colony was restricted to the treated areas and didn’t widespread through the other frames. Direct treatments inside the laboratory also confirmed the susptibility of bee workers and larvae to nematode infection of all tested isolates with differences in successful recycling. The present work strongly supported that both Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae families are not recommended to be used in bee colonies as bio-control agents. Further research is needed to cover the possibilities of using them for infected wax combs during storage before reusing it in the bee colonies.

Efficacy of the larval parasitoid, Bracon hebetor Say. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on the greater wax moth larvae, Galleria mellonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) under laboratory and field conditions

The greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is considered one of the most important pests effecting honeybee industry. The present study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of the larval parasitoid, Bracon hebetor Say. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), on G. mellonella in laboratory, honeybee colonies, and stored wax combs. In the laboratory studies, the pre-ovipositoinal, ovipositional, and post-ovipositional periods of the parasitoid were 0.27 ± 0.45, 20.87 ± 1.5, and 4.33 ± 0.48 days, respectively. The total number of eggs/female of the parasitoid on the 5th larval instar of G. mellonella reached 71.77 ± 7.84 eggs. B. hebetor females paralyze their hosts, the percentage of paralyzed 2nd larval instar of G. mellonella was 30% and parasitoid could not lay eggs on them, while the percentage of paralyzed 5th larval instar was 100% and parasitoid could lay eggs. In the field studies, the parasitoid, B. hebetor was released in honeybee colonies and stored wax combs to evaluate its efficacy. By releasing the parasitoid, the mean numbers of dead larvae of G. mellonella in treated honeybee colonies were greater than in the untreated, (91.8 ± 5.319 and 53.3 ± 24.373) larvae/colony, respectively. Also, releasing of B. hebetor against G. mellonella in stored wax combs reduced the number of survived G. mellonella larvae in treated storage wax combs to 3.2 ± 2.38 than in the untreated (using formic acid) 9.3 ± 5.52 larvae/store colonies. This is the first work to study efficacy of the parasitoid, B. hebetor on G. mellonella larvae in honeybee colonies and stored wax combs. The results suggested that the parasitoid had the efficacy to be used for controlling G. mellonella in beehives and stored wax comb in Egypt.

Mineral Content in Honeybee Wax Combs as a Measurement of the Impact of Environmental Factors.

Environmental pollution from metals needs to be constantly monitored due to their predominantly negative impacts on living organisms. As apian products stored in hives are considered useful bioindicators, the objective of this study was to: (a) investigate and compare the essential and toxic metal concentrations in freshly constructed combs (light combs, LC) and old combs (dark combs, DC) in use for two to three beekeeping seasons, and (b) compare the mineral content of beeswax combs from apiaries exposed to different levels of environmental pollution using the energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence method. Concentrations of ten elements (Cr, Pb, Cu, Ni, Fe, Zn, Mn, Sr, Rb, Ca) were determined in 18 honeybee wax comb samples from three apiaries in continental Croatia. The results showed that the influence of comb age and/or geographical origin (representing varying levels of environmental pollution exposure) on the elemental composition of beeswax was evident for the toxic elements Cr, Pb, Cu and Ni, and for the essential elements Fe, Zn, Mn and Sr, but not Rb. In addition to monitoring the environmental element content, wax combs can be used to determine contamination levels. Additionally, in-time analysis results can enable beekeepers to adjust management practices, such as moving apiaries to better positions. They can also be useful in the creation of policies on acceptable limits for toxic metal levels in particular geographical areas.

Role of pretreatment and evidence for the enhanced biodegradation and mineralization of low-density polyethylene films by greater waxworm

ABSTRACT The present study reports the role of pretreatment for the enhanced biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with Galleria mellonella (Greater waxworm). The pretreatment of the LDPE film was carried out under solar radiation. The pretreated LDPE (PTLDPE) and untreated LDPE (UTLDPE) were characterized with AFM, FTIR and 1H NMR techniques. The qualitative analysis for the biodegradation of pretreated and untreated LDPE was examined by analysing the Excreta residue (ER) of Galleria mellonella fed with LDPE. The mineralization of the ER of waxworm fed on Waxcomb (WC), UTLDPE and PTLDPE were studied by analysing the changes in physiochemical properties through FTIR, 1H NMR and GC-MS techniques in addition to weight loss percentage of PTLDPE and survival rates of the tested greater waxworms. Solar pretreatment of LDPE led to increased surface roughness which favoured the waxworms to feed voraciously on PTLDPE. The post degradation studies of Waxcomb (WC), PTLDPE and UTLDPE showed 92.03 ± 2.1%, 18.57 ± 1.8% and 55.8 ± 1.2% weight loss, respectively. The FTIR, 1H NMR and GC-MS results confirm that the ER of waxworm fed on WC, UTLDPE and PTLDPE showed the presence of new carbonyl and alcoholic groups with increase in unsaturated hydrocarbon indicating enhanced mineralization of LDPE. The efficient mineralization of PTLDPE by waxworm was observed without affecting its survivability. A plausible mechanism of LDPE degradation has also been proposed. The rapid and cost effective biodegradation of PTLDPE through waxworm paves a new and facile route for hazardous plastic waste treatment.

First report and molecular determination of Apanteles galleriae Wilkinson (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), a parasitoid of the lesser wax moth Achroia grisella F. (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) in Northwest Argentina

Achroia grisella and Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) are two of the most common pests in apiaries worldwide since in their larval stage they feed on wax combs that bees use for their offspring, on bees’ food, and on the wooden boxes. After finding some specimens of parasitoids associated to A. grisella cocoons in Tucumán, Argentina, our objective was to accurately identify the species and to study its oviposition habit as a basic biological aspect of the host-parasitoid association. We identified the parasitoid wasps as Apanteles galleriae (Braconidae, Microgastrinae) and herein report the species emerging from A. grisella for the first time in Argentina. Morphological and mitochondrial analyses of specimens coincided in their identification. Further studies on this parasitoid species will allow us to design strategies for the biological control of this important beehive pest.

Deteriorated Adult Performance and Reproduction of the Greater Wax Moth, (Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) by the Honey Bee Apitoxin

The greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella is an important pest of wax combs of the honey bee in the world. The current investigation aimed to assess the effects of Apitoxin on the most important adult life parameters and reproduction of this pest. The freshly ecdysed 3rd instar larvae were treated with a series of Apitoxin concentrations (4000, 2000, 1000, 500, 250, 125 ppm) via the artificial diet. The present results can be summarized as follows. The adult emergence was slightly blocked only at the higher three concentration levels. Apitoxin failed to affect both adult survival and morphogenesis. The total longevity was significantly shortened, in a dose-dependent course. The ovarian maturation (pre-oviposition) period was prolonged, except the highest one at which this period was slightly shortened, as an odd datum. The reproductive life-time (oviposition period) was remarkably shortened, in no certain trend. Also, the post-oviposition period was considerably shortened. Apitoxin exerted a diverse action on the reproductive efficiency of adult females since the oviposition rate was enhanced or inhibited, depending on the concentration, but in no certain trend. Both fecundity and fertility had been significantly reduced, in a dose-dependent course. The incubation period was considerably prolonged in a dose-dependent manner.