Temperature-dependent regulatory mechanism of larval development of the wax moth [Galleria mellonella]

The mechanisms underlying larval diapause in the wax moth (Galleria mellonella) is one of the most throughly studied aspects. At the low temperature of 18°C, the last instar larvae did not pupate but transferred to 30°C they initiated development and pupation in a circadian manner. Different types of surgical manipulations including head-ligation, nerve cord-severance, implantation of the brain, prothoracic glands, accompanied with ecdysteroid titre measurements indicated that diapausing arrest of larval development at 18°C might be due to the nervous inhibition of their prothoracic glands.