Waxworm

'Waxworm' is the common name for the larvae of wax moths, most often the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, and to a lesser extent the smaller lesser wax moth, Achroia grisella. Both species are found worldwide and are strongly associated with honeybee colonies, where the larvae feed on beeswax, pollen, and debris within the hive.

In the wild, wax moths lay their eggs in or near beehives, and the resulting larvae tunnel through combs, leaving silk-lined galleries behind. Because they thrive on a diet centered on wax, they are considered a pest of stored honeycomb, though they play no comparable role outside of bee-associated habitats.

Waxworms are also mass-reared commercially, largely for use as live food for pet reptiles, amphibians, and birds, and as bait in recreational fishing, making the larva far more familiar to most people in this context than in its natural hive setting.

• Body is soft, plump, and cream to pale yellow in color, with a segmented, grub-like shape
• Reaches roughly 2.5-3 cm (about 1 in) in length at maturity
• Has a small, distinct brownish head capsule at one end
• Moves in a looping or wriggling fashion rather than crawling like a true caterpillar with strong prolegs
• Found inside silk-lined tunnels within wax comb, rather than out in the open on foliage

Naturally found inside honeybee hives and stored beeswax comb worldwide, wherever honeybee colonies occur. Commercially reared waxworms are raised indoors on a grain- and wax-based diet for the pet and bait trade.

Larvae feed on beeswax, pollen, and hive debris, tunneling through combs and lining their galleries with silk as they grow. This wax-based diet is unusual among insects, and wax moth larvae possess gut microbes that assist in breaking down the wax. Within a hive, they are considered a pest of stored comb, particularly in weak or unattended colonies, but outside of hive settings they have little ecological role beyond serving as a food source for insectivorous animals.

Adult female wax moths lay eggs in crevices near or within beehives. Larvae hatch and tunnel into comb, feeding and growing through several instars over a few weeks under warm conditions. Mature larvae spin a tough silk cocoon, often in a protected crevice at the edge of the hive, and pupate before emerging as adult moths. Multiple generations can occur per year in warm conditions, with development slowing or pausing in cooler temperatures.