What essential function do the silk tunnels woven by wax moth larvae provide inside the hive?

Protection from direct bee attack and impeding bee cleaning actions

During their destructive feeding phase, the larvae of wax moths employ a critical behavioral adaptation involving the secretion and weaving of silk. These silk galleries are constructed as tunnels throughout the wax comb as the larva feeds and grows through successive instars. The primary roles of these silken structures are twofold: they serve as physical shields, offering direct protection to the vulnerable larva from defensive worker bees attempting to sting or remove them, and they act as physical barriers that actively hinder the bees' natural hygiene practices, specifically impeding their ability to clean the comb or repair structural damage caused by the burrowing activity.