Wax Moth - Galleria mellonella

Wingspan 29 to 40 mm. The males of this species have a distinctively concave outer edge to the forewing; the females are generally plainer in appearance with a less concave edge.

Around bee hives.

Flying between June and October, the adults can be attracted to light.

The name 'Wax Moth' refers to the moth's lifestyle - it lives in beehives, where the larvae feed on the honeycomb.

Formerly local and infrequent in Britain, but has become much more common of late. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.

Occasional in Leicestershire and Rutland and may be decling here. L&R Moth Group status = C (very scarce resident or rare migrant)