Beehive Honey Moth
Common NameBeehive Honey Moth
Scientific NameGalleria mellonella
FamilyPyralidae
SubfamilyGalleriinae
Wingspan (mm)20
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsgrey, brown, dark brown
HabitatBeehives (wild and managed), storage areas for bee products, human dwellings
Geographic RangeCosmopolitan (worldwide)
Host Plantsbeeswax, pollen, honey, bee detritus
Flight PeriodMultiple generations per year, year-round in warm climates, spring to autumn in temperate regions
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae, known as waxworms, tunnel through and consume beeswax, pollen, and honey within beehives, causing significant damage. They pupate in silken cocoons.
Identification TipsLook for mottled grey-brown forewings, often with a reddish-brown sheen, and a characteristic resting posture where the wings are held tent-like over the body. Its presence is strongly associated with beehives or stored bee products.
Description
A medium-sized moth with a slender body and long, narrow forewings that are mottled grey-brown with darker, irregular markings, and pale hindwings.
