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Author Topic: Is ONE larva wax moth damage?  (Read 4451 times)

Offline romduck

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Is ONE larva wax moth damage?
« on: September 20, 2005, 07:02:27 pm »
I had my hives set up using the “unlimited brood box” method (essentially three deeps) which I then break back down into two deeps when I prep for Fall.

This year I had one very strong hive from which I removed the bottom deep. This deep was relatively empty except for some pollen and drone brood. The upper two deeps that remained were quite healthy and filled with brood (capped and uncapped), pollen and honey stores.

Once I brought the “empty” box into my basement workshop I found some wax moth larva on one of the combs. While I HAVE seen some of what I assume are wax moths near the hives, I have found no other damage yet.

I checked my “extra” frames that are also stored in the basement and also found no damage yet.

I assume that my best course of action would be to obtain some para-moth and keep it with the stored frames.

Is there anything else that I should be doing about the hives themselves, other than keeping an eye out for damage and keeping the are clean of extra wax?
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Offline Michael Bush

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Is ONE larva wax moth damage?
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2005, 09:11:31 am »
Wax moth damage happens pretty quickly.  One time you don't see any and you come back and find a mass (mess?) of cocoons.  I prefer Certan to Paramoth.  I don't like the smell of Paramoth and it leaves residue in the honey which the Europeans actually test for.

You could freeze the combs with the moths.  That will kill all the moths there now and all the eggs.  Then you can store as you would any other combs.  I prefer to store combs where they will freeze periodically all winter.  The only time I tried storing them in the basement they were all eaten up by the moths.

I prefer to leave the supers on the hives until the first killing freeze.  that way the adult moths are gone and the bees can gaurd the combs until then.  Then the cold can gaurd them until spring.  Besides you could still get some flow.  I'd stack them up on a board on the bottom with no entrance so the mice can't get in and a tight lid on top so in the spring moths and wasps etc can't get in.  Tape up any bee sized gaps with duct tape.

The basement is the worst place for them.  It's too warm and there are ALWAYS wax moth eggs in the boxes.  You DON'T want the smell of Paramoth to fill your basement, not to mention it's a carcenigen.  If you use the Paramoth (and I wouldn't) do it outside!
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Offline romduck

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Is ONE larva wax moth damage?
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2005, 01:14:00 pm »
Thanks.  I'll definitely try to find space outside to move the equipment for storage.

Do you have any suggestions as far as what to store supers on? That is to say, place them directly on the ground (yuck), plywood, bricks, propped up and screened on the bottom (for ventilation), other?
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Offline leominsterbeeman

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Is ONE larva wax moth damage?
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2005, 02:54:09 pm »
Don't store them on the ground they will get wet and moldy.    I have a spot in my garage that I use.  I first put down a 1x2 and them stack the supers on top of that, and put the paramoth cake on top of the frames.  the para is heavier than air and will drift downward.  I leave some additional  1x2's in the middle of the stack too for  ventilation.  Works find.
Michael Keane
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Offline Martha

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Is ONE larva wax moth damage?
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2005, 11:06:10 am »
If you criss-cross the supers in the sun the moths will run away from the sun. I keep mine on my screened/stormed in front porch through the winter - criss-crossed.

With a current infested frame - put in a trash bag and stick in the freezer (deep freeze) overnight. Then put outside for the bees to clean up.

Do not store in a dark place - without using a chemical of some sort. I don't use the chemicals at all.

The only moth damage I have had was this summer in a weak hive. Never any of my empty supers/deeps stored on the porch.

Martha in KC

Offline romduck

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Is ONE larva wax moth damage?
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2005, 10:52:47 am »
Currently I have the little buggers in my stored extra deeps.
Some of the frames were stuck to gether thick with webs and larvae.

They WERE in the basement, but Michael was dead-on about how bad THAT ws. Now I'll  be storing them outside under the 2nd floor porch. I get the idea that the ventilation and light (criss crossing deeps) is better than trying to seal out more moths.

I took out the worst of the frames and put them in the freezer and will pick up the Certan to make sure that this ends the problem.

I have frames with three "levels" of infestation.

1) Thick webs with larvae everywhere.
2) Trails of webbing where larva had crawled.
3) No webbing, but frames were next to other, more infested frames.

Any thoughts on what I can do to clean up the mess? Do I have to get rid of / burn the affected equipment?
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Offline Michael Bush

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Is ONE larva wax moth damage?
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2005, 11:52:09 am »
If it's all webbed up, cut the comb out of the frame and throw away the comb.  Save the frame.

If there is maybe on web running through it somewhere, freeze or spray with certan.  Store it for now.  Let the bees fix it later.

If there is no apparent damage, freeze or spray with certan and store it for now.  Let the bees fix it later.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline Dale

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Is ONE larva wax moth damage?
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2005, 08:12:01 pm »
What I do, is cut the foundation off the frame, and clean it as well as I can wuth a hose.  Being that I live in PA, and how late in the year it is, I would probably let it stored outside somewhere.  It will surely freeze before winter is over, and you are in Cont. so it will freeze there as well.  I like to hose them off, because it just saves time in the spring when you are really busy with foundation replacements.
Dale Richards
Dal-Col Apiaries
Drums, PA
www.hazleton.net/users/dalcol

 

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