Wax Moths

[Hobie]

It looks like wax moths found my stored comb. It's not bad... not all webby and larva (yet), but I see a few trails and moths flew out. Are the frames save-able, or do I have to get rid of them? Can they be melted into wax?

Mostly old, old black comb, so I'm not devastated, but it was nice having spares.

[JohnBeeMan]

Put them in the freezer for at leat 24 hours. If you saw moths fly out you can figure they left eggs behind. Freezing will kill both larva and eggs.

[Walliebee]

After freezing use something like a pencil and follow the trails to remove damaged wax and webbing cell to cell. Then spray with Bt to prevent reinfestation.

[Specialkayme]

what do you do if wax moths got into your hive and devistated it? I was out of town for quite some time (about two months) and when I got back I was devistated. I had five hives, strong ones at that. One hive was completely dead. All gone with tunnells and cucoons left behind and all. Another one has a but load of wax moth larva in it. It was a double deep hive, so I took the top one off and set it aside, and looked through the bottom half and didn't see any queen or any bee larva but saw a whole bunch of wax moth larva. I assume it is lost, but what can I do?

[Michael Bush]

Cut out all of the webs, scrape off all the cocoons and in the spring put some bees in the hive.

[Robert Brenchley]

Are you talking about greater or lesswer wax moth? Lesser has larvae no more than an inch long, and I've never noticed it doing much harm. Greater has big 3-inch grey grubs, and that's the one to watch out for.

[BjornBee]

3 inches????

[Michael Bush]

I've seen them 3 cm but not 3 inches.

[Brent Bean]

I have never seen wax moths take over a strong hive, perhaps they were on the verge of decline from something else? Like varroa?

[Michael Bush]

>have never seen wax moths take over a strong hive, perhaps they were on the verge of decline from something else?
>>It looks like wax moths found my stored comb.

[CSbees]

I agree with Brent. It is a fact that wax moths do not themselves devastate a hive. The bees will not allow them if their population is in the thousands. There is some lurking cause like disease that reduced their population and thus made the combs succeptible to the wax moths.

[sierrabees]

MB:

Your post picked up the quotes but not your comments. I usually look for your opinion on these questions because I respect it so please repeat the reply and fill us in on your opinion.

[Michael Bush]

My quotes were to point out that Brent Bean misunderstood Hobie's original question. Hobie had moths on stored comb, not in a hive. Brent was assuming the discussion was about wax moths in a colony. Just trying to keep things on the topic.

[Brent Bean]

Thanks MB I guess I should have read the question better.
I have had very good luck keeping wax moths out of my stored comb by putting a light over them 24 hours a day. They don’t like the light and stay away. I tried and experiment this spring with a stack of boxes and so far no wax moths. One box even had some brood comb with a little pollen.

[shylock3]

I had a late swarm come out about the last week of July and I thought they were building up. I never noticed any moths 2-3 weeks ago when I checked them. I checked them yesterday and wax moths had wrecked the colony. It was doubtful that they would have made it, but I could have fed them. I might could combine whats left with another hive, but this time of year they don't them. Anything I can do to save the thousand or so bees left?
Thanks

[carbide]

I had a late swarm come out about the last week of July and I thought they were building up. I never noticed any moths 2-3 weeks ago when I checked them. I checked them yesterday and wax moths had wrecked the colony. It was doubtful that they would have made it, but I could have fed them. I might could combine whats left with another hive, but this time of year they don't them. Anything I can do to save the thousand or so bees left?
Thanks

Try shaking them out in front of a stronger busy hive in the middle of the day. They should accept them without any problem.