wax moth
noun
: a dull brownish or ashen pyralid moth (Galleria mellonella) with a larva that feeds on the honeycomb wax of bees
Examples of wax moth in a Sentence
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Wax worms—the caterpillar larval stage of the wax moth—might revolutionize our response to plastic waste, suggests research published in Nature Communications in October.
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Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Dec. 2022
Other scientific efforts to find biological ways to break down major plastic are underway, including using wax moth larvae to break down polyethylene.
—Nusmila Lohani, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 May 2020
One of these, the greater wax moth, is offering scientists hope in the fight against plastic pollution.
—Eric Betz, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2020
Waxworms, which are the larvae of wax moths, and spikes or eurolarvae, which are blue bottlefly maggots, are the most popular live baits for hardwater bluegills.
—Outdoor Life, 27 Jan. 2020
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Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Dec. 2022
Other scientific efforts to find biological ways to break down major plastic are underway, including using wax moth larvae to break down polyethylene.
—Nusmila Lohani, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 May 2020
One of these, the greater wax moth, is offering scientists hope in the fight against plastic pollution.
—Eric Betz, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2020
Waxworms, which are the larvae of wax moths, and spikes or eurolarvae, which are blue bottlefly maggots, are the most popular live baits for hardwater bluegills.
—Outdoor Life, 27 Jan. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Wax moth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wax%20moth. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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