Lesser wax moth (associated with egg mass)
Scientific Name: Achroia grisella
Order & Family: Lepidoptera: Pyralidae
Size: Individual eggs are less than 0.5mm; egg mass can span several centimeters.
Natural Habitat
Typically found in or near honey bee colonies and beehives globally.
Diet & Feeding
Larvae eat honey, beeswax, pollen, and bee cocoons; adults do not feed.
Behavior Patterns
Adults fly at night and deposit clusters of eggs in crevices of beehives. Larvae tunnel through combs, creating silken galleries.
Risks & Benefits
Significant pest in apiculture, causing destruction to honeycombs and physical damage to wooden hive components. They act as scavengers in wild hives.
Identified on: 5/2/2026