Galleria mellonella

The Greater Wax Moth or Honeycomb Moth (Galleria mellonella) is a moth of the family Pyralidae. It is the only member of the genus Galleria. It is found in most of the world, including Europe, North America, Turkey, Russia and Australia, where it is an introduced species. Its wingspan is 30–41 mm. The moth flies from May to October . The larvae feed on the comb inside bee nests.

The larvae of the Greater Wax Moth Galleria mellonella have been shown to be an excellent model for vivo toxicology and pathogenicity testing, replacing the use of small mammals in such experiments. The larvae are ideal models for studying the cellular and the humoral responses of the insect immune system.

Translation

The phrase "Galleria mellonella" occurs as such in the following languages: English, French, Italian, Romanian.

Translation(s) in other languages: Czech: Zavíječ voskový, German: Große Wachsmotte, Hungarian: Nagy viaszmoly, Dutch: Wasmot, Polish: Barciak większy.