They are recommended for use as a treat rather than a staple food, due to their relative lack of nutrients when compared to crickets and mealworms. These larvae are grown extensively for use as food for humans, as well as live food for terrarium pets and some pet birds, mostly due to their high fat content, their ease of breeding, and their ability to survive for weeks at low temperatures. Waxworms are a commonly used food for many insectivorous animals and plants in captivity. Captive waxworms are generally raised on a mixture of cereal grain, bran, and honey. When kept in captivity, they can go a long time without eating, particularly if kept at a cool temperature. The destruction of the comb will spill or contaminate stored honey and may kill bee larvae or be the cause of the spreading of honey bee diseases. Their full development to adults requires access to used brood comb or brood cell cleanings-these contain protein essential for the larvae's development, in the form of brood cocoons. Galleria mellonella (the greater wax moths) will not attack the bees directly, but feed on the wax used by the bees to build their honeycomb. Beekeepers consider waxworms to be pests. In the wild, they live as nest parasites in bee colonies and eat cocoons, pollen, and shed skins of bees, and chew through beeswax, thus the name. Waxworms are medium-white caterpillars with black-tipped feet and small, black or brown heads. The adult moths are sometimes called "bee moths", but, particularly in apiculture, this can also refer to Aphomia sociella, another Galleriinae moth which also produces waxworms, but is not commercially bred. Another species whose larvae share that name is the Indian mealmoth ( Plodia interpunctella), though this species is not available commercially. They belong to the tribe Galleriini in the snout moth subfamily Galleriinae. Two closely related species are commercially bred – the lesser wax moth ( Achroia grisella) and the greater wax moth ( Galleria mellonella). Waxworms are the caterpillar larvae of wax moths, which belong to the family Pyralidae (snout moths).
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