Musings on waxmoth - and storing supers

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just thought I would share a few thoughts.
As you know I have always (and yes, I mean always) stores my used frames 'wet', Even when I had a lot less bees I never saw the sense in faffing around with giving the bees wet frames back for the bees 'to lick clean' (how I hate that phrase) then the constant fiddling around in the off season with spraying, and reapplying certan.
I've never really had a problem with waxmoth, yes I might lose the odd frame, usually the end of season frames which tend to be fairly 'dry' in fact last winter I probably had close to a hundred well used wet brood frames from Demarree's which the moths didn't go near so the brood free argument holds no water.
at the end of last season I had a stach of eleven shallows, none of whose frames have ever held brood, probablu about 40% were brand new, drawn that season frames. Unbeknownst to me the top crown board had warped a bit, and combined with an uneven set of frames had left a handy entrance for the bees (of course it was at the back of the shelter, gap facing the wisteria vine on the pig sty where there's always bee traffic at extraction time), anyway.......
By the time I'd noticed and sorted the gap so the stack was properly sealed, the bees had cleaned all the frames of any honey this weekend I'd got to that stack so opened it up to load into the truck for the next inspection. ' oh dear' I uttered 'f...waxmoth'.
It could have been a lot worse, I think I've written off about four frames out of 110 although many have had bits taken out and the usual grunge left in its place, but here are my observations:
None of the 110 frames had ever held any brood
The newer, fresher wax was hit the hardest.
The darker three seasons old wax was hardly touched
Thus far, I have gone through in excess of 100 boxes (deeps and shallows) and this (dry) stack is the only one hit by waxmoth.
Needless to say, I'll be changing nothing of my routine this coming winter.

 

[simonforeman]

Thankyou for sharing that info.... Just a couple of questions...
Think I read it right, If you store wet you you do not need to apply any certain or DiPel etc?
How do you stack / store them for example crown boards between each or every other box, frames spaced out in boxes, outside with roof on complete stack or in shed?

That maybe more than 2 questions but interested to know to complete the good info.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I don't spray them with anything
I have a pile of 460 square 12mm WBP boards I stack the shallows with frames in as I would to super up a hive 9 or 10 high with a board top and bottom then cinch them all tight with two ratchet straps.
I know some people put a sheet of newspaper betweek each box so that even if
moths get in they only hit a box or two.
I stack them up in an open sided roofed shelter (used to be the run where I kept my spaniels) If it gets full the surplus are just put on a pallet with a hive roof on top.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I use one if those large gravel trays lined with newspaper then stack the supers on top with a thin plastic crownboard every three boxes all topped with a crownboard, strapped then a roof on top. I have only about thirty drawn supers and can get them all into a shed.

 

[pargyle]

I use one if those large gravel trays lined with newspaper then stack the supers on top with a thin plastic crownboard every three boxes all topped with a crownboard, strapped then a roof on top. I have only about thirty drawn supers and can get them all into a shed.

I have four or five of those gravel trays and I do as you do for storing my drawn supers .. They are so useful for other things - I use them when I'm extracting to put the supers on before and after extractiion to save drips and they make a great temporary hive roof.

I have a large Ketor Plastic store (picked up for £10 on Gumtree - had to repair a hinge but a bargain) and I can get two piles of 7 supers side by side on low stands in there, plus there's enough space around them for spare crown boards, clearer boards etc.

 

[Susan1]

I wrap my supers (when I have them and haven't had both hives robbed out like this year grrrrrr) in cling film and store one on top of the other in my bee shed with a crown board on bottom and roof on top. But I only had two hives.

 

[madasafish]

For the past 4 years I have stored all my supers wet, in stacks 8 high - sealed floor, crownboard and roof. Strapped down.

Never seen any wax moth damage..

(There are wax moths around locally)

 

[Heather]

I can get 10 at a time in my chest freezer. leave a week, then store on gardening tray( in bee room) ensuring no gaps and sealed at top. but only coping with about 40 so not too much trouble.

 

[enrico]

How d you know that you are not trapping wax grubs in with the frames when you seal them up? I have a sealed room. Tried storing frames in there but obviously took moth in with me and they had a hay day. I have lost more frames to waxmoth in the past three years than in the previous 37. I don't store wet, I never have. But last year I sprayed with dipel out of desperation. Rooky mistake, I sprayed and sealed in plastic boxes before they were dry. Some went so badly mouldy that I had to melt them down. My musing? If you use dipel then let the frames dry before storing!!!!
E

 

[alfazer]

I've been storing dry super and brood frames in their boxes, filled tight with frames so they stay in position, then place box on its side with no floor or lid, just completely open. This works either under a shelter with open front or in a greenhouse. Cold winter temperatures and lots of daylight seems to do the trick.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

How d you know that you are not trapping wax grubs in with the frames when you seal them up?
E

It doesn't matter - they do little damage and the winter cold kills them

I don't store wet
E

I have lost more frames to waxmoth in the past three years than in the previous 37.
E

QED

 

[jeff33]

I stack mine in stacks of 6 outside until I have smoked them with sulphur then they go in a shed, off the ground on 2x2 with varroa mesh on the bottom and crown board with the feeding hole covered with a fine mesh. This gives them ventilation which seems to stop mold.

 

[joelsoo]

Does anyone knows how low temp frames needs to get to in a freezer before the wax moth dies? I got old fridge freezer but it's not going as cold as it needs to be, hence wondering if it's OK?

I think I stuck thermometer in there its only about - 1degC, I recall freezers typically will go even lower than that

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[pargyle]

Does anyone knows how low temp frames needs to get to in a freezer before the wax moth dies? I got old fridge freezer but it's not going as cold as it needs to be, hence wondering if it's OK?

I think I stuck thermometer in there its only about - 1degC, I recall freezers typically will go even lower than that

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The perceived wisdom is well sub-zero in the freezer. Minus 15 deg C at least to be even remotely certain you are going to kill the grubs and any eggs and for at least 48 hours. Most domestic freezers will get down to minus 20 degrees C and a bit more with fast freeze function and the door closed. Your old fridge is probably not going to do it. I read somewhere that wax moth can survive sub zero temperatures for shorter periods of time and lesser freezing temperatures.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

A good read JBM. Something to encourage our association beginners (and others) to think about the storage of frames over winter.

 

[enrico]

The perceived wisdom is well sub-zero in the freezer. Minus 15 deg C at least to be even remotely certain you are going to kill the grubs and any eggs and for at least 48 hours. Most domestic freezers will get down to minus 20 degrees C and a bit more with fast freeze function and the door closed. Your old fridge is probably not going to do it. I read somewhere that wax moth can survive sub zero temperatures for shorter periods of time and lesser freezing temperatures.

It certainly didn't kill mine, all it did was contract the foundation to such an extent that it cracked.
E

 

[Swarm]

I've always stored supers wet but I wouldn't rely on that alone as deterrent. Never had wax moth damage until about three or four years ago and it made no difference wet or dry, brooded or not.
Comb is far too precious to leave things to chance so I've treated mine for three seasons now. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I have about 60 supers which I will have to store over winter. I've always stored them dry but I'm not set in my ways on that and am just looking to store away from wax moth and mould.
I'm considering building a stand for storing them, probably 4 supers long made of a ply floor suspended on 4x2 timbers with Varroa mesh windows for ventilation. I would then stack the supers, place a crown board with a hole covered with mesh on each stack and strap down to the 4x2's.
This stand will be built against my shed, under a roof but open to the elements at the sides.
Any comments on that idea?..

 

[Swarm]

Mould has never been an issue, I wouldn't ventilate them myself.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Mould has never been an issue, I wouldn't ventilate them myself.

you're going to end up with even more clouds of bees trying to force themselves in to get at the honey