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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Pyralid and Crambid Snout Moths (Pyraloidea) » Pyralid Moths (Pyralidae) » Galleriinae » Galleriini » Greater Wax Moth (Galleria) » Greater Wax Moth - Hodges#5622 (Galleria mellonella)
Photo#443009
Aphomia sociella - Galleria mellonella - female
Copyright © 2010 Vespula Vulgaris

Aphomia sociella - Galleria mellonella - Female
Perry County, Pennsylvania, USA
August 16, 2010
Size: ~ 16 mm
The well feared (by me) bee moth. This one was found inside my bumble bee box this morning at 2 AM. I was very upset to have seen the face of thy enemy yet again

It runs extremely rapidly when disturbed, almost like a freaked out ant. It was extremely difficult to finally catch

Images of this individual: tag all
Aphomia sociella - Galleria mellonella - female Aphomia sociella - Galleria mellonella - female
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Contributed by Vespula Vulgaris on 16 August, 2010 - 2:23pm
Last updated 27 March, 2012 - 9:40am

Moved
Moved from Bee Moth.
… Paul Dennehy, 27 March, 2012 - 9:40am login or register to post comments

Galleria mellonella
This looks more like Galleria mellonella 5622 which also infests honeybee combs.
… Curtis Lehman, 21 March, 2011 - 8:20pm login or register to post comments

 
What characters
make you suggest that over A. sociella?
… Vespula Vulgaris, 21 March, 2011 - 8:40pm login or register to post comments

 
Galleria
The shape is very different. Galleria is a shorter and more robust moth with smaller wings relative to the body. Aphomia have smaller, thinner bodies and proportionally larger wings. Compare:

http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=5629
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=5622
… Paul Dennehy, 27 March, 2012 - 9:50am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Vespula Vulgaris, 20 August, 2010 - 3:04pm login or register to post comments

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