Toxicity and Disruptive Impacts of the Honeybee Apitoxin on Growth and Development of The Greater Wax Moth, Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

2 Department of Economic Entomology, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

The greater wax moth, or honeycomb moth, Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is widely distributed throughout the world. It is an economically important pest of wax combs of the honey bee. The present study was conducted aiming at the evaluation of toxicity and disruptive impacts of Apitoxin on growth, development and metamorphosis of this pest. The newly moulted 3rd instar larvae were fed on artificial diet treated with a series of Apitoxin concentrations (4000, 2000, 1000, 500, 250, 125 ppm). The present results can be summarized as follows. Apitoxin exhibited a dose-dependent toxicity on larvae except at the lowest concentration. The developed pupae suffered a toxic action of the tested product, in a dose-dependent course, except at the lower two concentrations. LC50 value was calculated in 956.16 ppm. The somatic weight gain and growth rate had been slightly reduced while the larval duration was considerably shortened, in a dose-dependent course. The developmental rate of larvae indicated an enhancing action of Apitoxin, since the treated larvae developed in a faster rate than control congeners. The pupal duration was slightly or remarkably shortened, depending on the concentration. The developed pupae from treated larvae lost more body water than control pupae. The tested product failed to affect metamorphosis and morphogenesis programs, but the pupation rate was regressed in a dose-dependent course. 

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