Identification of wax moth in the beehives from Long An, Binh Duong and DakLak Provinces

Abstract

The harmful wax moth larvae on honeybees, which decrease beekeeping productivity, are a worldwide concern. However, since beekeeping only has developed recently in Vietnam, identifying this insect has been neglected. Through morphological characteristics and molecular identification, this study accurately identified the harmful wax moth in three provinces: Long An, Binh Duong, and DakLak. Larvae samples collected in three provinces range in size from 15 - 20mm to 3 - 5mm, with the head lacking the particular features of large wax moths (Galleria mellonella) and the body milky white or light yellow. Males have an average size of 6 - 10mm x 1 - 2mm, females have an average size of 7 - 12mm x 2 - 3mm, and two pairs of wings have an average size of 5 - 7mm x 2 - 3mm. The results of molecular identification using the COI gene revealed that the wax moths found in the three provinces sampled refer to the species Achroia grisella and were of the same origin as the butterflies found in China. Based on morphological characteristics and molecular identification, the study provided more information on the honeycomb wax moth, which is found in three provinces: Long An, Binh Duong, and DakLak.