Wax moth invasion

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Wax moth ate their way thro the lid of one of my poly nucs. Couldn't figure out why the feeder was filling with water until a closer inspection.

Hate the damn things and have been thro my rights of passage with these beasties. Burn your gear and start again, its devastating but quite cathartic seeing all the new frames and foundation.
 
Thx for all the replies people really appreciated and hate to say it but nice to know some experienced beeks been through this as well makes me feel a tad better :( .

One more question .

With the amount of moths I found in that area ( on our garden ) I have no option but to put another strong nuc or hive back in the same place . Obviously I wont go plonking on stupid extra space with drawn comb for the wax moth to have a party in this time !!!.

But im nervous with so many moths about this happening again no matter what I do , I guess im asking would all of you have no hesitation in putting a hive back there as long as its properly sealed , limited entrance , and no massive void for the moth to party in .

Just so nervous now having seen this of it all happening again .

Thx

Alan
 
As long as the hive is strong and you are not giving them boxes full of wax moth eggs and grubs they will be fine. My gut reaction is the drawn wax you gave them already was infested with wax moth eggs!
E
 
enrico said:
As long as the hive is strong and you are not giving them boxes full of wax moth eggs and grubs they will be fine. My gut reaction is the drawn wax you gave them already was infested with wax moth eggs!
E
Click to expand...

That's possible as I prob wouldn't spot them . Do wax moth eggs basically last forever until being frozen or squished or singed .

Basically do they lay dormant till there near wax somehow ? . Or is it once winter comes everything starts again .If that's the case what does the wax moth do to get through winter ? .

thx folks
 
enrico said:
As long as the hive is strong and you are not giving them boxes full of wax moth eggs and grubs they will be fine. My gut reaction is the drawn wax you gave them already was infested with wax moth eggs!
E
Click to expand...

Can I ask you if I get a 5 or 6 frame strong colony would you now limit them in August to just a normal brood box and provide empty brood frames with foundation NOT DRAWN comb and limit the entrance ( easier to guard ) and really watch them through winter with feed etc etc ? .
 
Another question

Having seen this first hand for the firsttime in 4 years is not open mesh floors which I have and the bees always seem to go about partly blocking them a bad idea .

Surely if the moth lays eggs on the underside of the hive the small larvae that hatch can crawl thru the holes in the mesh into the hive and hey presto . I know if its a strong hive the bees should take care of it but every little help you can give is surley worth it .Strongly considering now solid floor hives from now on .
 
I would treat all your undrawn stored comb with certan. That will get rid of any unwanted grubs. I have found that freezing doesn't work!
Please don't worry about your hive. You know what you did wrong. You added too much space too quickly and I think all you did was add a box that was already infected.
Under normal circumstances there won't be a problem.
Mesh floors? Your choice. I use them in summer open and sometimes close them up in winter.
E
 
By the way 5 frames in a brood box. I definitely wouldn't add a super but drawn comb in The brood box would help.
E
 
jenkinsbrynmair said:
Probably the same as others of that ilk - remains in Chrysalis form over winter, emerges in the spring.
Click to expand...

Apparently, both eggs and cocoons can survive over winter, prolonged freezing temperatures can kill them but it does need to be a proper, well below freezing, freeze for a prolonged period of time. As the cocoons and eggs tend to be in crevices (in the caseof eggs) and burrows (in the case of cocoons) they are often protected from lesser or shorter temperature drops.

There is also evidence that they will remain in the cocoon state until the ambient temperature reaches a point where the moths (who have a relatively short life) can survive and breed. Bearing in mind the temperatures in an occupied beehive I would think it's a strong possibility that overwintering would be an easy task if the colony has not managed to oust them !
 
I had bad case of wax moth damage last year.
They made a hell of a mess, including burrowing
into my wooden supers
Is it possible to repair the damage with filler or would this
start other problems. Is it better to let the Bees sort them out?.
 
JC47 said:
I had bad case of wax moth damage last year.
They made a hell of a mess, including burrowing
into my wooden supers
Is it possible to repair the damage with filler or would this
start other problems. Is it better to let the Bees sort them out?.
Click to expand...

Once you are certain there are no (living) cocoons or eggs you can fill the holes as this does stop them being re-used by any reinfestation .. some of my boxes have the semi-circular 'track marks' of wax moth grubs .. I don't bother filling them - just the deep burrows.

Amazingly destructive little blighters ... apparently the grubs are a delicacy in some parts of the world ..

Could they save the world food crisis as well as solving the plastic problem ?
 
No idea but the sudden rise in numbers in the past two years makes me wonder if recycling plants are breeding them. ;)
 
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