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Species Achroia grisella - Lesser Wax Moth - Hodges#5623

moth - Achroia grisella Lesser Wax Moth - Hodges #5623 - Achroia grisella Tineidae? - Achroia grisella Achroia grisella caterpillar - Achroia grisella Achroia grisella? - Achroia grisella Urodus? - Achroia grisella Lesser Wax Moth Achroia grisella - Achroia grisella Achroia grisella
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Pyraloidea (Pyralid and Crambid Snout Moths)
Family Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
Subfamily Galleriinae
Tribe Galleriini
Genus Achroia (Lesser Wax Moth)
Species grisella (Lesser Wax Moth - Hodges#5623 )
Hodges Number
5623
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Fabricius 1794
Pyralis cinerana, Tinea grisella, Galleria aluearia, Bombyx cinereola, Galleria alvea, Galleria alveria, Meliphora alveariella, Tinea anticella, Achroia obscurevittella, Acroia (sic) major, Achroia ifranella.
Size
forewing length 7.5-11.5 mm(1)
Identification
forewing is gray with pale yellow area on the head](1) Wings wide but usually wrapped around body. Shiny light brown to silver-gray. Tips rounded with long fringe. Hindwings whitish-gray with long, gray fringe.
Range
originally introduced in the mid 19th century to southern California and is expanding range eastward throughout North America to Ontario and Quebec.
Habitat
in or near abandoned beehives
Season
2-5 broods per year, warmer climates having the most
Food
larvae feed on honeycombs and debris of abandoned beehives(1); dried fruits, including grapes (raisins) and apples. One report from the Netherlands of feeding on cork mat material used in insect collections.
Life Cycle
Females lay eggs inside beehives or on dried fruit. Larvae create webs and feed from under the webs.
Remarks
rarely collected at lights (1)

males broadcast an ultrasonic calling song to attract females
See Also
several webworm moths are similar. Superficially resembles Crambid Snout Acentria ephemerella which has shiny white-gray wings more spread out at rest, a darker thorax and no orange on head.
Print References
Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, Moths of Western North America, p. 186, plate 24.40(1)
Entomologia Systematica Emendata et Aucta, 1794, Vol. 3, Pt. 2 by Fabricius, pg. 289.
List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum, 1863, Pt. 27-28 by Walker, pg. 483.
Journal of the Entomological Society of Ontario, 1889, Vol 20: Annual Report of Ontario, Bee-Moths by Fyles, south Quebec, pp. 72 to 73.
Handbook of British Lepidoptera, 1895 by Meyrick, pp. 383 to 384.
Journal of the Entomological Society of Ontario, 1912, Vol. 43: Annual Report of Ontario, Insects of Quebec 1912 by Petch, pg. 72.
Cornell University Agriculture Experimental Station 1923, Memoir #68 by Forbes, pp. 533 to 535.
Entomologische berichen, 1956, Vol. 16 by Elton: Infestation of 'moll' sheets by Achroia grisella Fabr. (Lep., Pyralidae), pp. 12 to 14.
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group - species page with photograph of living and pinned adults.
Moth Photographers Group - photograph pinned adult of related species for comparison.
Works Cited
1.Moths of Western North America
Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press.