Preliminary Test for The Effect of Eucallyptus camaldulensis Seed Oil Extract to Control the Different Growth Stages of the Greater Wax Worm Galleria mellonella L. in the Laboratory

Abstract

The honeybee Apis mellifera L. is a social insect with important nutritional, therapeutic and economic benefits. This beneficial insect is attacked by many pests that cause economic losses for beekeepers, the most important of which is the greater wax worm G.mellonella L.(Lepidopera: Pyrallidae).This study was conducted during the period 2024-2025, and aimed to test the effect of the hexane oil extract of the Eucalyptus E.camaldulensis Dehnh.(Myrtales:Myrtaceae) seeds on the different larval stages of the greater wax worm G.mellonella L.The results obtained showed that the eucalyptus seed oil extract was highly effective in reducing the mortality rate of the greater wax worm larvae, and with significant differences in the mortality rates due to the different concentrations and duration after treatments used. The highest mortality rates was on the third larval stage, reaching 90.0% at a concentration of 10 mg/ml, whereas it reached 70% on the fifth larval stage, at the same concentration, one week after treatment. The lowest mortality rate of the third larval stage was 40.0% at a concentration of 2.5 mg/ml, whereas it reached 20.0% for the fifth larval stage, at the same concentration one day after treatment compared to the control treatment (0.00%),. These results support the possibility of introducing the eucalyptus seed oil extract into integrated management programs for the greater wax moth G. mellonella L., which infests bee hives wax frames. Further studies are needed to determine its effect on honey bees.

Keywords:

G.mellonella L., A. mellifera L., eucalyptus oil, seed extract.