Management of greater wax moth Galleria mellonella Lepidoptera Pyralidae and characterization of its gut bacteria

Abstract

Field and laboratory experiments were carried out at the Department of newlineEntomology and Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Assam Agricultural newlineUniversity, Jorhat during 2018 and 2019 to study the management of greater wax moth, newlineGalleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), a serious pest of the honey bee using newlinedifferent integrated modules and to characterized the gut bacterial community. Different newlinelife stages of the wax moth were studied to provide a concise information on the newlinepopulation trend. Laboratory studies confirmed the occurrence of multiple generations newlineof G. mellonella in a year. In the present study, five generations of G. mellonella were newlinerecorded in a single year. The duration of each developmental stages showed variation newlinein each generation. Mean incubation period was found to be 4.60 ± 0.49 days (1st newlinegeneration), 4.40 ± 0.49 days (2nd generation), 3.20 ± 0.40 days (3rd generation), 4.20 ± newline0.75 days (4th generation) and 8.00 ± 0.63 days in the 5th generation. Throughout each newlinegeneration a total 6 (six) numbers of larval instars were recorded. Mean duration of the newlinetotal larval period was observed to be 32.40 ± 2.33 days (1st generation), 25.20 ± 0.40 newlinedays (2nd generation), 25.40 ± 1.62 days (3rd generation), 25.60 ± 1.36 days (4th newlinegeneration) and 45.80 ± 1.17 days (5th generation). The mean duration of the pre- pupal newlineperiod was recorded to be 5.20 ± 0.75 days (1st generation), 3.40 ± 0.49 days (2nd newlinegeneration), 3.80 ± 0.75 days (3rd generation), 4.20 ± 0.40 days (4th generation) and newline10.60 ± 0.80 days (5th generation). The mean duration of the pupal period was found to newlinebe 9.80 ± 1.17 days (1st generation), 9.60 ± 0.49 days (2nd generation), 8.00 ± 0.63 days newline(3rd generation), 8.60 ± 0.49 days (4th generation) and 18.00 ± 1.67 days in the last newlinegeneration. The longevity of the male adult wax moth recorded a mean duration of newline17.80 ± 0.75 days (1st generation), 20.60 ± 1.02 days (2nd generation), 20.20 ± 0.75 newlinedays (3rd generation), 21.40 ± 1.02 days (4th generation) and 8.40 ± 0.80 days (5th newlinegeneration)...