<...not uncommon for the two species to be mistaken where by limitednutrition will make a greater wax moth look much like the lesser..>

When MT St Helen's blew its top, I did a major study of the effects of volcanic ash on spruce budworm. One set of trials, we dusted the larvae (that's the stage of development that was present when the MT erupted) and got the expected mortality from an abrasive dessicant coating the soft exoskeleton of moth larvae.  The other set of trials, we added ash to the diet consumed by moths.  We actually got up to 50% ash and the moths survived - no real difference from the controls.  BUT the adult moths that fed on this ash diluted diet as larvae were about 1/2 size.
 
 


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