Freezing frames (wax moth)

[Crazyhorse]

I know there are posts all over about wax moth. But can anyone shed any light on freezing super frames? Do they need to be wrapped? Does any uncapped nectar need to be removed? I’ve had wax moth on 4 frames now I want to take no chances.

So any light on the following when freezing?
1. Wrapped up?
2. Dry or wet
3. How long in the freezer for?

Many thanks.

 

[pargyle]

Freezing has to be below minus 18 degrees and for at least 48 hours and even then it is not considered totally reliable as eggs can survive. These temps are at the extreme end of the ability of most domestic freezers. If you already have an infestation I'd go for treatment with a sulphur burner which will kill everything .. for the £20 the kit costs including the sulphur tabs - more convenient and more reliable than freezing. Dipel treatment afterwards will protect them in the longer term. Super frames are a valuable resource it's worth looking after them.

 

[Murox]

I no longer freeze frames though when I did I placed them in air-tight bags then placed them in the freezer.
In a domestic freezer that doesn't get much below -20 degrees I used to freeze for a week or more, but at least 72 hours I would have thought.

 

[castanea]

I put the frames in the freezer for at least a week, then I put them in air tight plastic boxes.
Been doing this for years no problems, no wax moth.
I clean all frames before putting in freezer hope this helps.

 

[pargyle]

I put the frames in the freezer for at least a week, then I put them in air tight plastic boxes.
Been doing this for years no problems, no wax moth.
I clean all frames before putting in freezer hope this helps.

I have about 25 drawn supers ...that would mean rotating over 200 frames for a week in a freezer ... it would be a lot of work when half an hour with a couple of sulphur burners has the same effect. Ok if you just have a handful of supers or a very big walk in freezer.

You can do a stack of six supers with a sulphur burner that will kill any resident moths, eggs and grubs and as a belt and braces a treatment with Dipel will protect from any reinfestation over winter.

 

[Amari]

I have about 25 drawn supers ...that would mean rotating over 200 frames for a week in a freezer ... it would be a lot of work when half an hour with a couple of sulphur burners has the same effect. Ok if you just have a handful of supers or a very big walk in freezer.

You can do a stack of six supers with a sulphur burner that will kill any resident moths, eggs and grubs and as a belt and braces a treatment with Dipel will protect from any reinfestation over winter.

That's what I use - but alternatively 80% acetic acid sprinkled on dishcloths or similar.
My problem with the sulphur strips is trying to avoid inhaling the very toxic fumes of sulphur dioxide that issue as soon as the match is applied. What do you do?

 

[pargyle]

That's what I use - but alternatively 80% acetic acid sprinkled on dishcloths or similar.
My problem with the sulphur strips is trying to avoid inhaling the very toxic fumes of sulphur dioxide that issue as soon as the match is applied. What do you do?

It's sulphur dioxide so it's not very pleasant. I use the round discs with the hole in the middle and they hang on the hook of the burner can lid. I get set up with a brood box on top of the stack of supers and the roof ready to go on. I give the two or three discs on the hook a blast with a blowtorch (the kitchen one I have for lighting my smoker) as soon a I see the start of a blue flame on the discs I put the lid quickly onto the burner can and put it in the brood box on top of the frames of the top super. Because SO2 is heavier than air it drops downwards so, in reality, I rarely get anything more than a slight and well diluted whiff of it. Roof on the brood box and job done.

The key is to be well organised and quick once they are lit.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

That's what I use - but alternatively 80% acetic acid sprinkled on dishcloths or similar.
My problem with the sulphur strips is trying to avoid inhaling the very toxic fumes of sulphur dioxide that issue as soon as the match is applied. What do you do?

As a child I lived near a chemical fertiliser works with a sulphuric acid plant running continuously. If the wind blew towards the village we got the fumes. As I'm now 76 I wonder how you differentiate mildly toxic/middlin toxic/very toxic?

 

[JamezF]

As I'm now 76 I wonder how you differentiate mildly toxic/middlin toxic/very toxic?

According to Wikipedia, different countries have different classifications for toxicity and varying methodologies for determining which class any given substance belongs in, though I guess perhaps one way would be to test the LD50 dosage (how much you have to give before 50% of the test subjects die).

James

 

[StephenT]

We half clear the freezer at this time of year and then freeze two supers worth of frames at a time whilst scraping and scorching the boxes. Leave them in the freezer for about 4 days and then back in the supers and wrapped and taped in thick bin liners. Has worked well for a few years but then we only have 12 supers now.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I freeze super frames in their supers; no need to wrap them unless they are going to be open to the air for a while after they are removed from the freezer as you don't want moths to jump in just as the frames are warming up and you store them for the winter months.
It can take a while for a domestic freezer to get down to temperature when a lot of new stuff is put in.

 

[judy12]

Thanks, Pargyle, I'll do exactly that this Autumn.