Assessing the Efficacy of a Product Containing Bacillus thuringiensis Applied to Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Foundation as a Control for Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Abstract

Greater (Galleria mellonella L.) and lesser wax moth (Achroia grisella F.) larval feeding can cause significant damage in active honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies and stored equipment. This damage may lead to significant material and financial losses. Traditional control methods use toxic chemicals that may leave residues in wax and honey and are potentially hazardous to bees and humans. In this study, we evaluated the use of a product (B401®; Vita [Europe] Ltd., Basingstoke, UK) that contains Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner, a bacterium that is not harmful to bees or humans. The main objectives of our research were to determine if B401 could be successfully applied to the midrib of foundation during its production and if combs constructed on the foundation were protected from wax moth damage. B401 significantly reduced the comb damage score that was given to combs on a scale from 0–10, with 0 equal to no damage and 10 equal to complete damage (B401 = 1.70 ± 0.39 and 0.45 ±0.16, control = 8.55 ± 0.32 and 3.80 ± 0.71) and the proportion of larvae surviving at 6 wk (B401 = 0.69 = 0.07, control = 0.95 ± 0.04). Yet, as administered in our study, the product did not eliminate all wax moth damage to combs.