Evaluation of Botanical Extracts and Essential Oils against Lesser Wax Moth, Achroia grisella F. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Under Stored Condition

Honey bees are resourceful insects offering honey, wax, resin, royal jelly, etc. Wax moths are posing serious threat to beekeeping as their intrusion and invasion decimate entire colony under both field and storage conditions. Considering the environmental safety, sensitive nature of the hive environment and cost effectiveness, the role of non chemical management practices has got enormous scope in the pest management system against the foes of bees. The laboratory bio-assay of selected plant extracts (at 5% dose) on the lesser wax moth larvae exhibited the effectiveness of Ocimum basilicum affording 89.05 % larval mortality. Among the essential oils (at 5% dose), Mentha piperita treatment performed well against wax moth, with 79.04% overall kill of larvae.