Wax moth are rampant this year

[pargyle]

I recently returned to beekeeping after a few years. I had the same problem. I thought I'd stacked everything up nice and tight but most brood frames were annihilated. Honey frames were fine though. Never mind. I'm looking forward to some cathartic frame building over the winter!

You only make the mistake once... I left a nuc full of untreated frames one year ... what a mess ...they had actually burrowed through the poly to the outside and the surface inside was so badly damaged it was a tip job for the lot ... disgusting.

 

[ericbeaumont]

p38 car body filler

Yes, used that previously but the short working time means small amounts must be mixed repeatedly. An advantage of Milliput is that it can be diluted with isopropyl alcohol or meths as the job varies: thick for hole filling, softer for surface finishing.

P38 is £9/250ml from Halfords and Milliput about £7/113g delivered, so yes, Milliput is more than double the price.

 

[CosmoRossini]

Assume that you will and treat combs in storage. As above, early signs are the webbing in tunnels or across the face of the combs, but eggs are too small to see and are a laid in frame cracks and corners. Small black grains are the larval frass, or poo.


Dipel or Bruco is effective and you could divide the tub and sell to other beekeepers; use it within two years. Bruco is £4.50 cheaper at the 500g rate and uses the same nematode: bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki.

Bacillus Thuringiensis ssp aizawai will kill box moth in a similar way and maybe it will work on galleria mellonella. At £7 delivered you may like to try it and let us know. Do not be misled by the trade name XenTari on the package; read further and you'll see that it's B.t aizawai.

It takes very little time to treat a stack once the sprayer is loaded: you don't even have to take out every frame fully from the box.


Also corrodes concrete and should be used with gloves and eye protection.

Do you use Dipel on super frames?

 

[Cuckmere couple]

i am going to freeze the lot this year...shame i can only get 3 supers in

 

[Swarm]

Saw the landowner today and asked about his supers, all the supers removed so far have had freezer treatment except for one super he couldn't fit in and it has wax moth damage on two frames.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Do you use Dipel on super frames?

Yes, because although supers combs are at less risk wax moth aren't that fussy and may have a go.

 

[Jimmy]

Do you use Dipel on super frames?

Yes, concentrate on any frames that have pollen or have had brood in them.

I have about 90 supers to treat with dipel over the weekend which I'm slightly dreading. I'd like to do it outside but that would lead to a wasp/robbing frenzy so will try and do it in the storage shed.
I'm also going to try burning sulphur as per this old post from Peter Little sulphur strips and disinfection. This will definitely not be in the shed

 

[Sutty]

I'm wary of using burning sulphur with wet frames. The sulphur dioxide produced by burning dissolves in water (inside wax moths or in residual honey), this produces sulphurous acid (hence killing the moths), this will slowly be oxidised to sulphuric acid.
This means giving bees residual honey laced with sulphuric acid in spring!

 

[Sutty]

Does the surface rusting with acetic acid actually matter?
I've heard of people leaving the acetic acid in place all winter.

 

[Sutty]

If you freeze frames do you not also have to freeze the box? I've seen larvae and pupae in crevices in boxes so emerged adults may mate & lay more eggs......

 

[Nannysbees]

Bought a small chest freezer

i am going to freeze the lot this year...shame i can only get 3 supers in

We are doing it in shifts, as the frames are in the freezer we are doing maintenance on the boxes, ready for the frozen frames then seal the boxes, fingers crossed

 

[Jimmy]

I'm wary of using burning sulphur with wet frames. The sulphur dioxide produced by burning dissolves in water (inside wax moths or in residual honey), this produces sulphurous acid (hence killing the moths), this will slowly be oxidised to sulphuric acid.
This means giving bees residual honey laced with sulphuric acid in spring!

Would the sulphuric acid be any more acidic than honey or in itself harmful to the bees?

 

[ericbeaumont]

If you freeze frames do you not also have to freeze the box?

My dream would be to get a freezer big enough to hold a stack of boxes. The Canadian Beekeeper uses a refrigerated lorry.

 

[jeff33]

The sulphur strips have worked a treat over the years and I can do a stack of 6-8 boxes at the time.
I have another stack of 15 supers which need extracting, I think I will do it over the weekend, just in case!!

 

[Garry R]

Join Freecycle and put in a Wanted advert for an upright freezer, Holds about 90 super frames. Amazing the number of working but cosmetically challenged freezers are out there. If working freezing is easy. I store all my frames in there for winter, freezing first then a small silicone loaf tin with about 100ml of 80% acetic acid left in the freezer. Freezer off in a few days. No mice, no moths. BUT I do fill the drain hole with araldite as I found that wasps could find their way in but not out but that problem is now solved.

 

[Blunt Spike]

If they are stacked, you might see some powdery dust on any board you have below, if so investigate.
On the comb, as Phil says, tracks through the cells, tubular fross often with poo along it. Scrape along the track and you will come to the larva. Hold the comb to the light and you may be able to see them.
If any of your combs have seen brood or pollen, they are a magnet. Wet or dry makes no difference and not all colonies are so quick to oust them so be aware they may already be there.
I went years and years with no problem and then lost a good few supers worth. I could have done with them this year.

Edit: I've sprayed them every year since, Like Eric, it's not a mistake you want to make twice.

I've never heard of this before. What ratio do you make the spray solution to, and how much do you spray over the frames? Do you soak them or a fine misting?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I've never heard of this before. What ratio do you make the spray solution to, and how much do you spray over the frames? Do you soak them or a fine misting?

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/wax-moth-prevention-in-stored-frames.45457/
Just a spray over all the frames.
I think Dipel is hard to get hold of now
Eric Beaumont mentions Bruco in his post

 

[jeff33]

Join Freecycle and put in a Wanted advert for an upright freezer, Holds about 90 super frames. Amazing the number of working but cosmetically challenged freezers are out there. If working freezing is easy. I store all my frames in there for winter, freezing first then a small silicone loaf tin with about 100ml of 80% acetic acid left in the freezer. Freezer off in a few days. No mice, no moths. BUT I do fill the drain hole with araldite as I found that wasps could find their way in but not out but that problem is now solved.

Freezer is a good option but depends on space and amount of frames. I usually have to deal with 40-50 supers so I prefer the most efficient and time saving method.

 

[Blunt Spike]

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/wax-moth-prevention-in-stored-frames.45457/
Just a spray over all the frames.
I think Dipel is hard to get hold of now
Eric Beaumont mentions Bruco in his post

Thankyou.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

If you freeze frames do you not also have to freeze the box? I've seen larvae and pupae in crevices in boxes so emerged adults may mate & lay more eggs......

i do freeze the whole super inc box...and leave about a week