Storing comb to avoid wax moth

[kenpkr]

This post idea came from reading another thread about meds and supplements to have on hand. I think it was BubbaBob that suggested leaving one's supers out in the light and with good air flow to avoid wax moth infestation. I would like to do this but don't have a covered area on my property that is both open air and bright. How do some of you accomplish this? I would like to avoid using PDB in the fall if possible.

Ken

[Antero]

One is a product called Certan, mixed with water and sprayed on the comb with a garden pressure sprayer. This is the only biological larvaecide available for wax moth control, it has no effect on you, your honey, bees or wax. Used just before storage or before the comb is placed on the hive it is ingested by the larvae and kills from the inside out.

Terry

[mark williams]

You can also get the cheap garbage bag's (leaf bags)& put the super in it,making sure you don't tear it.I bought 100 supers from a man that retired & he had everyone of his like that.worked good for him.

[east_stingray]

By far the easiest way is to freeze them. Easiest being relative, of course, to how many supers you're talking about and whether or not you have a chest freezer. Freeze the whole super w/ frames overnight at 0 degrees if you can get your freezer that low. That will kill the larvae and adults, then you can store your equipment somewhere that it won't get re-infested.

[east_stingray]

Seems like with the garbage bags the moths would have plenty of time to do damage before they ran out of oxygen.

[db_land]

IMO, Certan works best for waxmoth control. I also use it as a preventative by spraying bottom boards and hive boxes.

kenpkr - if you decide to use garbage bags, you really need to freeze the frames 1st to kill any waxmoth eggs and larvae. Even when a frame looks perfectly clean there's a good chance that there's an egg or larvae somewhere on it.

Note: freezing also kills any small hive beetle eggs, larvae and adults, but Certan does not.

[TwT]

if you put the supers in bags or boxes with a couple moth balls, would this work? or does moth balls smell get into the wax and the bees want touch it ????

[GaSteve]

>if you decide to use garbage bags, you really need to freeze the frames 1st to kill any waxmoth eggs and larvae

Very true. If not you'll open up the bags in spring and find nothing but wood and wire. Don't ask me how I know. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Antero]

TWT;

Treat with paradichlorobeneze moth crystals do not treat with naphthalene moth crystals as the chemical seeps into the wax and may harm bees the following year.

Terry

[dickm]

I had the Certan sitting in a drawer and the wax moths did a small number on some frames I had sitting next to it. I have read the label and now know you must spray it on! Question: How much or little damage can the bees cope with?

Dickm

[Michael Bush]

If it's got a lot of webs I haven't had a lot of luck with them fixing it. If it's only one or so, I let them fix it.

[dickm]

Thanks for the response mike.