First report of the lesser wax moth Achroia grisella F. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) consuming polyethylene (silo-bag) in northwestern Argentina

CHALUP, ADRIANA; AYUP, M. MARTA; MONMANY GARZIA, A. CAROLINA; MALIZIA, AGUSTINA; MARTÍN, EDUARDO; DE CRISTÓBAL, RICARDO; GALINDO-CARDONA, ALBERTO

JOURNAL OF APICULTURAL RESEARCH

INT BEE RESEARCH ASSOC

Año: 2018 vol. 57 p. 569 - 571

0021-8839

In this note we report Achroia grisella F. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), a beehive pest, for the first time in Argentina. In addition, we report observations of the larvae of this pest species consuming silo-bags, a material commonly used in the country for hive management. Silo-bags are composed of three layers of polyethylene and one anti-UV layer and no records of insects consuming this material are found in the literature. Our report represents a warning for apiculture in Argentina, especially when honey production has been observed to decrease recently. This decrease may be a result of a combination of factors, including the poor monitoring of hive?s health, and inappropriate management of pests, like A. grisella. In addition, our observations on silo-bag consumption represent a call for attention to beekeepers that use this material to conserve heat in the hives and open questions about the mechanisms involved in silo-bags consumption by the larvae.