Seasonal incidence and management of greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella linnaeus in apis mellifera L. colonies and stored combs
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Date
2018
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CCSHAU
Abstract
The investigation entitled “Seasonal incidence and management of Greater wax moth,
Galleria mellonella Linnaeus in Apis mellifera L. colonies and stored combs” was carried out at
Research farm, Apiary and Apiculture Laboratory of the Department of Entomology, Chaudhary
Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana (India). The population of wax moth
(larval, pupal as well as adult) varied during different months during two years study. During both the
years, population started increasing from April and increased till July; thereafter (from August) the
population started declining and declined till March. In colonies with 4, 6, 8 and 10 frame bee strength,
the maximum incidence was noticed in July. Colonies with frame bee strength had more number of
larvae, pupae and adult followed by 6, 8 and 10 frame bee colonies. During both the years (2015-16
and 2016-17), the comb area damaged by G. Mellonella in different bee strength colonies started
increasing in April and increased till July. From August, the damaged area started decreasing and
reached to lowest in March. Maximum comb damage was recorded in July.
The cumulative comb area damaged per frame in stored combs increased with the passege of
storage time from June to October. Cumulative comb area damaged per frame was maximum when ten
combs were stored in a hive body followed by 9, 8 and 7 combs. Larval, pupal and adult populaion in
stored combs increase with the passege of storage time from June to October. Larval, pupal and adult
populaion was highest when ten combs were stored in a hive body followed by 9, 8 and 7 combs.
Among the 25 plant extracts tested against Galleria mellonella in laboratory; 14 were found
effective. Among the 14 effective extract, Plantago psyllium husk extract was most effective followed
by Hordeum sativum leaves, Linum usitatissimum seed and Raphanus sativus stem, H. sativum stem
and R. sativus leaves, Vicia sativa leaves, Cucurbita moschata seed, L. usitatissimum leaves, Cicer
arietinum leaves, C. moschata leaves, V. sativa stem, C. arietinum stem and Phaseolus vulgaris
leaves (least effective).
Among the different chemical and non chemical measures tested for management of greater
wax moth in stored combs; the most effective was the low temperature treatment (-15°C, -10°C)
followe by low temperature treatment (-5°C and 0°C), aluminium phosphide fumigation, Bt spray,
separation of combs with newspapers, NSKE spray, formic acid spray, acetic acid spray, hive chamber
separation with newspaper, neem oil spray and broadcasting neem leaves powder.
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