Freeze for how long?

[BjornBee]

Rather simple question. I cleaned out a portion of my standup freezer so I can freeze some frames with beginnings of wax moth worms. (This year has been bad. No honey but lots of moths.) How long with the standard/unknown freezer temperature would you freeze each set of hive frames?
Thanks

[clintonbemrose]

I usually try for 48 hours but my freezer is set at -10 degrees F
Clint

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Clinton Bemrose
just South of Lansing Michigan

[Iowabeeman]

We also figure 48 hours to kill the eggs.

[cochran500]

This info is from Dyce Laboratory http://www.masterbeekeeper.org/pdf/ipmpests.pdf

Freezing:
Eggs are killed by freezing at 20 oF for 4.5 hours, or at 10 oF for 3 hours, or at 5 oF for 2 hours
(reviewed in Shimanuki et al. 1997). So, combs stored over the winter this way will be moth free in the early
spring.
Comb and section honey must be treated by freezing within 3-4 days after removing it from a colony. Placing
section honey and comb honey in a household freezer at 5 oF for 24 hours is a good method for controlling all
stages of the wax moth. Of course, section and comb honey must be protected from re-infestation after
treatment. If you have room, comb honey and section honey can be kept in the freezer until needed. Freezing
not only kills the wax moth, it retards crystallization. Be sure to store comb honey and section honey in the
freezer in tightly-sealed plastic bags. Let it come to room temperature before opening the bags after removing
them from the freezer. That will prevent condensation form building up on the comb surface.

From Bee Culture http://www.beeculture.com/beeculture...mar/03mar3.htm

Freezing comb is very effective but time must be allowed for the comb to cool to freezing temperatures. Three days below freezing, after the cool-down period, will kill all stages of wax moth. Then the boxes with comb can be sealed in plastic bags to prevent re-infestation. Large freezer facilities may not be available to all but sharing space either within a group of beekeepers or with some facility is a possibility.

So it seems that the length of time to freeze the frames varies according to where you read the infomation.

[Dave W]

Nothing about beekeeping is simple.

ALL information varies from source-to-source.

I find it very flustrating.

Dave W