[scott richardson]

hello everyone,

ok i set up a new hive about 2 weeks ago. upon my first inspection of the hive i found what looks to be maggots. not sure what they were, i went to the socical media (Youtube) and looks like they are wax moth larva..what do i do??? is the hive to small to take care of it them selves, is there any medication i use?? don't want to start all over and want to save what i have..

 

[Rader Sidetrack]

Welcome to Beesource!

Where in the hive did you see the 'maggots' that you referred to? I mean no offense, but do you know what bee larva look like?

Photo linked from: http://westernfarmpress.com/management/honey-bees-reverse-brain-aging

Perhaps you could post a photo? Your hive could have wax moth larva, but 2 weeks seems a bit early for this issue to crop up unless some other problem is also occurring. Did you add drawn comb from another source, or is all the comb in the new hive drawn by those bees?

 

[scott richardson]

when i took off the top cover. i had put in a pollen pattie to help feed the bees. they where all over the pattie..

 

[Rader Sidetrack]

Larvae in a pollen patty may be small hive beetle larva. Remove the patty from the hive. There should be adequate pollen for your bees at this time in VA.

See post #76 of this thread for a photo comparing SHB larva and wax moth larva.

 

[enjambres]

And look on your bottom board and on, and under, any varroa monitoring sticky board for similar larvae and squash 'em dead. Don't knock them off on to the ground as they pupate in soil so dumping them, alive, on the ground would just help them on their way to further maturation. I find a side benefit of constantly having a varroa sticky board in is that the SHB like to crawl under it, so it makes finding and killing them easy. But I've never had a whole-hive, on-the-comb infestation so my SHB pressure is adequately handled by regular maggot-squashing. YMMV.

If you really feel you need a patty, then offer it in very small chunks (size of a square of Hershey Bar), one at a time, and only replace it when they've eaten it up. Opening the lid just to check and replace patty doesn't count when considering the customary, and correct, advice to stay out of a new hive.

Enj.

 

[Dominic]

Larvae in a pollen patty may be small hive beetle larva. Remove the patty from the hive. There should be adequate pollen for your bees at this time in VA.

See post #76 of this thread for a photo comparing SHB larva and wax moth larva.

It can also be a host of other insects. Last year I had beer bugs (a beetle) infest one of my weak hives where pollen patties were fermenting. The larvae are not necessarily a threat, but removing the patty is an appropriate measure nonetheless.

 

[scott richardson]

yes removed the pattie and squashed all larva that i came accross.. I'm a new keeper so i am like a nervous father here...sorry guys

 

[scott richardson]

boxes and frames where given to me. 2 of the frames had drawn out comb on it already..

 

[Lburou]

yes removed the pattie and squashed all larva that i came accross.. I'm a new keeper so i am like a nervous father here...sorry guys

You did the right thing by 1) Asking, then, 2) Acting.