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Author Topic: Strange worm-like pest  (Read 3587 times)

Offline homer

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Strange worm-like pest
« on: August 29, 2008, 08:38:36 pm »
I was in my hive today and was watching some bees emerge from their closed brood and I noticed something strange poking its head out of the cells from underneath the closed brood.  I poked and prodded with my hive tool and eventually got it out.  It looks kind of like a maggot or somethink likeunto it.  It's about an inch long and white with a small reddish brown head.  Any ideas what it is, and what I can do if there are more of them plaguing my hive?

I'd post I picture of it if I knew how.???

Offline buzzbee

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Re: Strange worm-like pest
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2008, 08:53:04 pm »
My guess is wax moths see here:
http://photo.bees.net/gallery/waxmoth/P2080223

And here is how to post a photo:
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,6779.0.html

Or you could pm a mod and get a email adress,forward the photo and they will post it for you if you want.If you pm me i will give you my email and you can send the photo.

Offline homer

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Re: Strange worm-like pest
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2008, 09:16:02 pm »
Oh CRAP.  I definitely have found a wax moth caterpillar in my hive.  Thanks for the photo.  What on earth do I do now?  Is the hive doomed or do I have any hope?

My guess is wax moths see here:
http://photo.bees.net/gallery/waxmoth/P2080223

And here is how to post a photo:
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,6779.0.html

Or you could pm a mod and get a email adress,forward the photo and they will post it for you if you want.If you pm me i will give you my email and you can send the photo.


Offline SgtMaj

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Re: Strange worm-like pest
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2008, 01:28:11 am »
There is always hope... right up to the minute you go out and find no bees in the hive.

The thing about wax moths is that they are more a symtom than a cause.  They are a symptom of a weak colony (though they certainly do weaken it further)... and you need to do more than just treat for the moths here, you also need to find out why your colony is weak and treat that problem too.

Offline homer

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Re: Strange worm-like pest
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2008, 12:52:09 pm »
The funny thing about that is that my colony seems to be really thriving right now and doing a great job getting ready for winter.

There is always hope... right up to the minute you go out and find no bees in the hive.

The thing about wax moths is that they are more a symtom than a cause.  They are a symptom of a weak colony (though they certainly do weaken it further)... and you need to do more than just treat for the moths here, you also need to find out why your colony is weak and treat that problem too.

Offline JP

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Re: Strange worm-like pest
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2008, 01:51:04 pm »
The funny thing about that is that my colony seems to be really thriving right now and doing a great job getting ready for winter.

There is always hope... right up to the minute you go out and find no bees in the hive.

The thing about wax moths is that they are more a symtom than a cause.  They are a symptom of a weak colony (though they certainly do weaken it further)... and you need to do more than just treat for the moths here, you also need to find out why your colony is weak and treat that problem too.

Homer, yes, waxmoth is a sign of weakness in a hive but you could also just have too much room in the hive for the amount of bees in that colony to 86 the waxmoths, make sure you don't have too much space, and condense the hive by removing any extra, unnecessary space such as extra boxes that the bees are not covering.

You will need to go through this hive, condense the boxes and cut out what really affected combs you have, the bees if condensed and strong will clean up the rest.

Do a search on Certan on this site and try and get some to put on your hive, also check for the queen, she may not be there anymore, if you have enough bees and can get a new queen, if you need to, do so.

If no queen and not a lot of bees, combine the bees with another hive, if you have one.

Good luck!


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