Wax Moth Treatment - Certan - Question

[pargyle]

OK. I don't usually get much of a problem with wax moth but this year has seen an absolute plethora of lesser wax moths in and around my apiary. My stored brood frames were treated with Certan(B401) last autumn but I noticed today that there were some fresh signs of wax moth on a few of the stored frames. I removed these frames from the stored empty hives and they are on the bonfire tonight.

But I suspect this could now be a recurring problem. So the questions follow ..

1.Can I use Certan again on stored frames at this time of the year ?

2.Will it be effective on any tiny larvae or wax moth eggs left on the other stored frames I have not burnt ?

3.Would Certan also kill any larvae that have burrowed into the polystyrene hive walls (Not that I saw any !) ?

4.How soon after treatment with Certan can the frames/hives be put back into use ?


And before anyone suggests I contact Vita or look at their website - it's Saturday evening and they are not there - I have Certan and can do a treatment tomorrow and I've looked at their website and it's not clear what to do in the situation I find myself in - I'm sure there's someone on here who will know.

And, yes, I know the best cure for waxmoth is strong healthy colonies but I'm not going to risk my strong healthy colonies by putting infested frames in there. And, no, I have not got any space left in the garage freezer and 'er indoors will not let me put wax moth frames in the kitchen freezer.

In addition:

5. I've seen a suggested wax moth trap - soft drinks bottle with a small hole below the neck and an attractant of:

1 Cup White Vinegar
1 Cup Sugar (Any type)
1 Banana Peel
Topped up with water

Which seems to work very well ... has anyone tried this ?

And lastly:

6.My stored hives are Paynes Polys, the entrances are sealed and the crownboards are a good fit ... how did the beggars get in there - the only thing I can think of is that a moth laid it's eggs below the mesh floor and the infant larvae were small enough to get through the mesh. Is this possible ?

Hopefully a useful thread because if I'm seeing lots of wax moths then it follows that there will be others.

Horrible bloody things ... glad they are just lesser wax moths at present rather than those fat slugs you get with the GWM.

 

[colinc]

Bad wax moth last year better this year as I used Certan. Still a bit but not horrendous. I dig it out as using plastic foundation.
Don’t believe their is an issue with certan in Honey frames so you could retreat them. Can’t answer the rest of your questions. I agree I suspect some lay and let the larvae walk in as my stack was snug and no gaps.


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[Gilberdyke John]

OK. I don't usually get much of a problem with wax moth but this year has seen an absolute plethora of lesser wax moths in and around my apiary. My stored brood frames were treated with Certan(B401) last autumn but I noticed today that there were some fresh signs of wax moth on a few of the stored frames. I removed these frames from the stored empty hives and they are on the bonfire tonight.

But I suspect this could now be a recurring problem. So the questions follow ..

1.Can I use Certan again on stored frames at this time of the year ?

2.Will it be effective on any tiny larvae or wax moth eggs left on the other stored frames I have not burnt ?

3.Would Certan also kill any larvae that have burrowed into the polystyrene hive walls (Not that I saw any !) ?

4.How soon after treatment with Certan can the frames/hives be put back into use ?


And before anyone suggests I contact Vita or look at their website - it's Saturday evening and they are not there - I have Certan and can do a treatment tomorrow and I've looked at their website and it's not clear what to do in the situation I find myself in - I'm sure there's someone on here who will know.

And, yes, I know the best cure for waxmoth is strong healthy colonies but I'm not going to risk my strong healthy colonies by putting infested frames in there. And, no, I have not got any space left in the garage freezer and 'er indoors will not let me put wax moth frames in the kitchen freezer.

In addition:

5. I've seen a suggested wax moth trap - soft drinks bottle with a small hole below the neck and an attractant of:

1 Cup White Vinegar
1 Cup Sugar (Any type)
1 Banana Peel
Topped up with water

Which seems to work very well ... has anyone tried this ?

And lastly:

6.My stored hives are Paynes Polys, the entrances are sealed and the crownboards are a good fit ... how did the beggars get in there - the only thing I can think of is that a moth laid it's eggs below the mesh floor and the infant larvae were small enough to get through the mesh. Is this possible ?

Hopefully a useful thread because if I'm seeing lots of wax moths then it follows that there will be others.

Horrible bloody things ... glad they are just lesser wax moths at present rather than those fat slugs you get with the GWM.

Google takes you to the Vita website which is open. Also it's application and use is covered on youtube.
The stuff works against the larval stage of the moth thus breaking its life cycle.
It is a suspension of spores, harmless to bees and humans, which remain on treated surfaces, normally applied after honey harvest to provide protection through the winter but it's still there when spring comes around. I have used it at all times of the year without any problems

 

[Eyeman]

Visible sign of bald brood this year even in some some strong colonies with the tell tail line of white cappings from the larvae. Not a significant problem in the hive. Not seen any problems with honey supers but I treat all the stored brood comb with a sulphur burn which seems to do the trick.

 

[pargyle]

Google takes you to the Vita website which is open. Also it's application and use is covered on youtube.
The stuff works against the larval stage of the moth thus breaking its life cycle.
It is a suspension of spores, harmless to bees and humans, which remain on treated surfaces, normally applied after honey harvest to provide protection through the winter but it's still there when spring comes around. I have used it at all times of the year without any problems

Thank you - one question answered.

But this is what it says on the Vita website:

B401 should be used after the honey harvest, when the frames are stored. Protection will be effective right through to the following season.

B401 can also be used to protect decoy or empty hives.

B401 kills only young wax moth larvae and must be used as a preventative before the combs are infested.

As I said - I spent ages on the internet trying to get some definitive answers to the other questions I had but the Vita website (and the others I looked at) tend to talk only about Certan treatment after the honey supers come off in the autumn - which I did !

I don't have a wax moth problem with my stored supers (which are stored wet) it's a problem with three spare brood boxes - all with drawn comb - that were treated last autumn with Certan - that have some (not a huge amount) of wax moth in them.

I've dug out the visible larvae, burnt those frames that had more than a small patch of waxmoth and in the absence of any better advice today I'm going to spray all the stored frames with Certan and make a wax moth trap and hang it in the apiary.

Watch this space ...

Still time for any more suggestions ...

 

[pargyle]

So ... I normally use Certan B401 but it's getting quite expensive ...

Is this the DIPEL product from Italy being recommended on here ..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dipel-Df...184066?hash=item1a5c452142:g:kJEAAOxydlFS35fL


But .. it's a powder .. How do you prepare it for spraying on the stored frames ... ?

 

[Walrus]

https://theapiarist.org/tag/dipel/

 

[Erichalfbee]

So ... I normally use Certan B401 but it's getting quite expensive ...

Is this the DIPEL product from Italy being recommended on here ..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dipel-Df...184066?hash=item1a5c452142:g:kJEAAOxydlFS35fL


But .. it's a powder .. How do you prepare it for spraying on the stored frames ... ?

Yes, that's the one I have and like Steve says Fatshark has it on his website .1% solution though seemingly OK ten times that
I used it last year on some dry frames I didn't have supers for and wanted to store in a box. No wax moth. The brood frames I keep usually have a little pollen and honey on them so they go in the freezer

 

[enrico]

I think I may be a convert. Will try it instead of certan and looks as though it is good on your vegetables too!
E

 

[BMH]

I think I may be a convert. Will try it instead of certan and looks as though it is good on your vegetables too!
E

I ordered on Tuesday from Italy and it arrived this morning!!!

Now if only the queen deliveries came from the continent that quickly!

 

[pargyle]

I ordered on Tuesday from Italy and it arrived this morning!!!

Now if only the queen deliveries came from the continent that quickly!

Crumbs that is good service ... I sent a first class letter to Scotland last Thursday and it arrived today ... 70p ! I'm old enough to remmber when first class post was sixpence in pre-decimal ... hadn't changed much in 100 years snce the penny post .. my forebears would be astounded that posting a letter would cost nearly 15 shillings !]

I'll translate if there is anyone listening below the age of 50 !

 

[coatesg]

Useful stuff - many thanks. Have had a lot of GWM issues with stored frames the past year, again with good fitting boxes, so likewise thing that the eggs are laid close and they crawl in...

 

[XYZ]

Just ordered some Dipel from Italy via eBay. Hopefully mine will arrive as quick

 

[citrus]

So ... I normally use Certan B401 but it's getting quite expensive ...

Is this the DIPEL product from Italy being recommended on here ..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dipel-Df...184066?hash=item1a5c452142:g:kJEAAOxydlFS35fL


But .. it's a powder .. How do you prepare it for spraying on the stored frames ... ?

I just put a teaspoon in the sprayer and top up with water ... makes a light brown smoothie

 

[pargyle]

Just ordered some Dipel from Italy via eBay. Hopefully mine will arrive as quick

Ordered some on 16th ... arrived today ... from Italy ... unbelievable !

 

[citrus]

Ordered some on 16th ... arrived today ... from Italy ... unbelievable !

still working through my 500g from a year back... an average of teaspoon a month ... I think I may have over ordered

 

[drex]

Mine arrived today. From the dosing for agricultural usage, depending on the grubs to be killed the dose is 0.5 -2 gm/L. I shall stick to the 1gm mentioned earlier

 

[pargyle]

Mine arrived today. From the dosing for agricultural usage, depending on the grubs to be killed the dose is 0.5 -2 gm/L. I shall stick to the 1gm mentioned earlier

So ... are you comfortable that 1gm per litre is sufficient to protect from wax moths through the winter ?

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Biochemical warfare always leaves me a bit queasy. I have trouble with GWM but have finally got on top with burning sulphur strips. They do get everywhere: I think the eggs must have long dormancy.

 

[drex]

So ... are you comfortable that 1gm per litre is sufficient to protect from wax moths through the winter ?

It is in accord with the advice from the apiarist . My first year of using. I will let you know in spring.