I checked my tray today and saw one small wax moth larva. The tray had been there for seven days. I came home and checked the last scrapings from the tray I had taken on 15th Sept from the tray that had been in place for 21 days, I’d left the bits wrapped in newspaper in the house for me to do when I had the time.
This lot was difficult to sort through for mites because there were four or five large larvae that had created a silk held cocoon of bits around them, there were also five or so small larvae.
After some internet research today I discovered that trays are not normally left under the mesh all the time. I also discovered that mites are much easier to see on the tray if it has only been in place for a short period of time.
I would expect that moths find it easier to lay eggs in the tray than in the hive, there are plenty of wax bits for them. I don’t know if that’s correct but it makes sense, I doubt they are expelled larvae from the hive. I don’t see how they would crawl into the hive from there so I’m not too worried.
I’ll be taking the tray out tomorrow. I didn’t know they shouldn’t be left in situ all the time, I thought they were left to reduce draughts from below.
Courty
