Acetic cid for wax moth

[Amaranth]

Sorry if this has already been covered at length. I naively followed the advice that stored wet supers don’t get wax moth. I felt uneasy and thought I’d take a peek. They were rampant. Have discarded about a third of the frames, though I perhaps should have been even more ruthless. I plan to treat the rest with acetic acid, but am concerned that these are wet supers. Won’t the acetic acid fumes permeate the residual honey and then not clear on airing them later? Just worried about putting back supers with acetic acid laced honey next spring.

 

[JamezF]

Can't help with the acetic acid question I'm afraid, but my suspicion is that whether the supers are wet or dry may be irrelevant as far as wax moth is concerned. On the basis of no evidence whatsoever, I'm tending towards the belief that wax moth find frames that only contain honey fairly uninteresting as a place to lay their eggs, but if pollen (and/or brood) has been put in some of the cells then they become much more attractive. I may be completely wrong however. I've never really stopped to think about it until this season when I realised whilst extracting that the only frames I had where there were wax moth larvae were ones that had some pollen in.

James

 

[ericbeaumont]

Bee Craft state that acetic will not kill wax moth pupae: Safe Use and Handling of Acetic Acid - Bee Craft Ltd.

Not come across that assertion before, but unless you are certain there are none hiding, success using acetic may be partial.

Dipel or Bruco (same as Dipel, slightly cheaper) is very effective and avoids the risks of using acetic: rusting metal parts, dissolving concrete, generally unpleasant to use.

Recoup the outlay by selling excess B.t Kurstakii in small airtight containers to other beekeepers,

https://www.progreen.co.uk/pests-disease/biological-pest-control/
I agree with James: slightest hint of pollen will do, but this summer GWM didn't care where: in the extracting room they laid not only in all the boxes but inside a weighing machine, the dehumidifier, on screwdrivers, plastic window frames and I promise you, everywhere in-between.

 

[Ian123]

From personal experience acetic won’t work alone or in bad cases. I think they may avoid it at best, but if they are established then you need to look at other methods.

 

[JamezF]

this summer GWM didn't care where: in the extracting room they laid not only in all the boxes but inside a weighing machine, the dehumidifier, on screwdrivers, plastic window frames and I promise you, everywhere in-between.

I wonder if, given sufficient availability of food, conditions this year have been good for (some) lepidopterae and as a result we're seeing far more larvae than usual? I didn't have too many problems with wax moth, but Large White caterpillars have been rampant here this year. I took the netting off my brassicas in early Autumn thinking everything would be safe, but even yesterday I was finding dozens of live caterpillars on the leaves

(Also makes me wonder if wasps haven't had a particularly good year here, because normally they seem to hoover up large numbers of caterpillars).

James

 

[Swarm]

I agree with James: slightest hint of pollen will do, but this summer GWM didn't care where: in the extracting room they laid not only in all the boxes but inside a weighing machine, the dehumidifier, on screwdrivers, plastic window frames and I promise you, everywhere in-between.

Not had them to that extent but laying under hive roofs has become quite common. I had a swienty box with a few combs in it totally destroyed this year, the whole thing went straight on a fire.
Definitely true about the pollen but I even give sparkling new comb a spray to be sure, I hate losing comb.

 

[WoodenBeam]

Don’t want to tempt fate but I’ve used acetic acid for a number of years & not had any issues - but have had issues with wax moth many a time through the seasons. 4 supers go onto a dolly, then 150ml acetic on a towel spread over the top of the frames, then another 4 & repeat. Whole stack is then cling wrapped, sealed top & bottom. Being on a dolly can push them around if needed. Come spring unsealed & aired. It does need to be handled carefully and isn't metal friendly so all the wiring is frames discolours but other than that I find it very effective.
Can’t help,with the wet frames query though - sorry. As already said freezer would be the best bet.

 

[user 819]

Xentari b.t is very affective for WM control, just like the other brands waft it over the frames. Allow to dry and then stack supers & bb's .
A cursory check 7 -10 days later for results, a 2nd application may be needed for a severe infestation. A off white fiberous track mark from larvae shows it is effective as they larvae dry and turn off white.

 

[Amari]

Don’t want to tempt fate but I’ve used acetic acid for a number of years & not had any issues - but have had issues with wax moth many a time through the seasons. 4 supers go onto a dolly, then 150ml acetic on a towel spread over the top of the frames, then another 4 & repeat. Whole stack is then cling wrapped, sealed top & bottom. Being on a dolly can push them around if needed. Come spring unsealed & aired. It does need to be handled carefully and isn't metal friendly so all the wiring is frames discolours but other than that I find it very effective.
Can’t help,with the wet frames query though - sorry. As already said freezer would be the best bet.

I realise that, if using acetic acid, then wrapping and sealing, eg gaffer tape between boxes, is advised but I don't: I argue that any WM present might lurk/lay eggs between the opposing edges of each box and escape the acetic fumes. By not sealing I reckon the fumes can more easily penetrate any gaps between the faces of each box.
I deploy AA prospectively - apply in early autumn as soon as the supers and any BB are stacked and renew the AA every couple of months = very little infestation.

 

[user 819]

I use a barrier between every super and BB, eithe a square of hardboard/Ply. Also I have acquired some free green house glass so I cut to size and gorilla tape all the edges and use these as well, being heavier and flat unlike ply etc they don't warp.

 

[drex]

I ratchet strap 6 supers with ply sheets top and bottom and burn sulphur in the stack. They remain strapped until used in spring. No repeat treatments. I give the broods a spray of dipel too. No problem with moths when they are opened

 

[pargyle]

I ratchet strap 6 supers with ply sheets top and bottom and burn sulphur in the stack. They remain strapped until used in spring. No repeat treatments. I give the broods a spray of dipel too. No problem with moths when they are opened

Yes ...I've found that by far the most effective method ... exactly what I do.

 

[Antipodes]

I sometimes find one (just one) moth grub in a strong hive ...perhaps out of the entrance or like in this video today, where it was on the floor hot-footing it to safety and they are usually a big one. I don't see any evidence of others in the hive.



View attachment VID_20221117_102318378.mp4

 

[beeker]

@pargyle @drex What sort of quantity Sulphur are you burning, I have a biggish bag of sulphur powder, made a burner tin yesterday had forgotten how choking the vapour was just not sure how much to burn in a stack. Have some dipel or equivalent ready too

 

[Swarm]

The Dipel will be ok on its own.

 

[Sutty]

The sulphur would be likely to kill the dipel

 

[pargyle]

@pargyle @drex What sort of quantity Sulphur are you burning, I have a biggish bag of sulphur powder, made a burner tin yesterday had forgotten how choking the vapour was just not sure how much to burn in a stack. Have some dipel or equivalent ready too

I use the discs of sulphur sold by thornes ... I use two to treat a stack of 6 supers....two of the discs weigh 14gm but there is probably a small amount of some sort of carrier to hold the sulphur together... I reckon if you worked on 15gm of sulphur to treat 6 supers you will not go far wrong. It burns to sulphur dioxide gas so an excess won't damage anything as it will dissipate fairly quickly.

 

[pargyle]

The sulphur would be likely to kill the dipel

Not if you treat with sulphur first them give it time for the sulphur dioxide gas time to dissipate before applying the Dipel...

 

[Sutty]

Not if you treat with sulphur first them give it time for the sulphur dioxide gas time to dissipate before applying the Dipel...

That way should be fine given enough time to dissipate.

I've used burning sulphur to help kill red mite in chicken coops too. Even burning for several hours didn't eradicate them, however they are likely crawling back in from outside after the treatment. All I could find in the coop immediately post-treatment were dead.
I'd put money on wax moth being easier to kill!
I wonder if Dipel works on red mite?....

 

[pargyle]

I wonder if Dipel works on red mite?....

Doubtful... I used to whitewash the inside of the coop and give the hens a dust bath of diatomaceous earth which seemed to keep the red mites under control.