The effect of different Mediterranean plant extracts on the development of the great wax moth Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and their toxicity to worker honeybees Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) under laboratory conditions

Author: Shahera Talat Zaitoun

Received 8 January 2007, accepted 20 March 2007.

Abstract

Ethanolic extracts of twenty one medicinal and health plants were used to examine their effects on the development of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella and on honeybee workers. The results indicated that feeding the moth larvae on most of the extracts, prolonged the larval stage duration 2-40 days more than the control. Six extracts prolonged pupation period 2-5 days more than the control. Extracts of Abrus precatorius, Laurus nobilis, Petroselinum sativum and Plantago psyllium had insecticidal effect against the moth; they killed 100 or 95% of the tested wax moths respectively without adverse effects on worker bees except in the case of A. precatorius. Worker honeybees were also affected adversely by few of the used extracts, the most poisonous was Cicer arietinum, followed by Myristica fragrans and Raphanus sativus. These extracts killed 80, 70 and 55% of the experimental bees respectively. Some of the used plant extracts seem to act as insect growth regulators and toxicants and can be used effectively to control populations of wax moth.

Key words: Plant extracts, wax moth, Galleria mellonella, honeybees.