Destroying wax moths

[BjornBee]

Went to an apiary site I've not been visiting often as I should of been. Two hives that consist of 1-1/2 brood boxes and 2 additional supers are now completly over run with worms and cacoons. Brood boxes are pretty much a waste but the honey supers are robbed in one hive and being robbed in the other.

I thought just burn them. Then maybe salvage the boxes and just put the frames in plastic bags for the garbage. Then maybe close them up and dump some paramoth crystals in the box and wait a week. Not sure if cleaning is worth the time.

Not sure if I want to bring the boxes back to my main place of operation for not wanting to spread anything.

Any experience or comments? Thanks.

[Michael Bush]

>I thought just burn them. Then maybe salvage the boxes and just put the frames in plastic bags for the garbage. Then maybe close them up and dump some paramoth crystals in the box and wait a week. Not sure if cleaning is worth the time.

The boxes will be fine without much work at all. The frames are a lot of work. It depends on if you have the time to mess with them, but they can be cleaned up if you want to go to the trouble. It's not so bad if you have plastic comb like DuraComb. You just rip it out with your hands (rubber gloves if you're squemish) but wired wax is tough because it cuts you when you try to pull it so you have to use some kind of tool and that gets more difficult. If you have PlastiCell or Peirco you can just dunk in boiling water and clean them off. Some clean. Some throw them away. I've done both depending on how much work it was getting into.


>Not sure if I want to bring the boxes back to my main place of operation for not wanting to spread anything.

There are wax moths everywhere anyway. I wouldn't sweat it too much. But if you want to put some paramoth in with the webbed up frames and all, it might wipe them out pretty well before you bring them back.

"I hates them! Nasty little waxie wormses!" (Gollum. Slightly modified and borrowed from the Hobbit by JRR Tolkein).

[BjornBee]

Thanks Mike.

I pretty much know its either nasty work or throw money down the drain. Not sure which way to fall off the fence.
Queenlessness, swarms, vicious hives, etc. The one I hate the most is lifting the lid and hearing the tearing sound of the moth cacoons.

[Michael Bush]

I agree. I can catch a swarm. I can requeen a queenless hive. I can requeen a vicious hive. But cleaning up a bunch of wax moth cocoons is very depressing.

[loggermike]

Had some like that last year.I could hardly get the frames out they had so many cocoons.Some frames were weakened so they went in the burn barrel.Some still had some wax so they went in the solar melter .They were early mite killed hives so disease wasnt a problem,but if there was AFB they wouldve got burned pronto.Usually they are hives that went queenless.Oh wellll...

[BjornBee]

This was an apiary site that had 6 queenless hives after the swarm season. More times than not, just when I think about ordering a queen or after I do, out of nowhere a queen appears. Three weeks ago I checked and thought I would wait to see what happens. The hives were weakened but thats to be assumed after a swarm and delay in laying again.

Four of the six look great, fully recovered and producing extra honey. The other two are TOTALLY infested with worms/moths. I may have missed the beginning stages but it was amazing how fast the wax moths can take over a weakened hive and destroy it.

I woke up around 3 a.m. and the first thing I thought of was what I need to do tonight. I think 10 stings would be better than cleaning hives like these. It is depressing.

[Juandefuca]

to all who may be concerned
This is, as many observations purely anecdotal and be confirmed or denied by anyone . The following observation was made by another bk as well as I
My hives have a two layer removable screened bottom board . Below the screen is the ventilation / inspection board serving when required or desired for varroa count.
Wax-debris occasionally accumulates on the "Inspection board" . Waxmoth lay their eggs there and larvae consume the debris ( Except when found and destoyed ) These larvae are not able to climb into the upper elements and therefore I have had during the last almost 5 years no wax moth damage . As a matter of fact I found wax moth damage in inherited or during inspection tours at other bk hives only .
I have no need to fumigate the stored supers and strong hives usually prevent wax moths to do their thing in the hive parts anyway.
happy demothing
JDF

[Michael Bush]

In feral hives in trees I have always found debris in the bottom full of wax moths even though the combs were free of them.

[Dave W]

Greetings Juandefuca,

Do you keep your inspection board under the screen year-round?

Some remove them ("Open" SBB).

What do you do?

thanx,
Dave W