Hello,
I put down some sticky boards for 48 hrs. to check for varroa, and found very few that's the good news......
Check out these pics, my hives have been very strong all summer, just installed them this spring.
Do I need to take action or will the bees handle it.
I've never seen those black speck's before or those carcuss looking things ???
Are the specks droppings and the the other things moth coccons?
(http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/5759/p8120027wr4.th.jpg) (http://img239.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p8120027wr4.jpg)
(http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/9274/p8120026dk2.th.jpg) (http://img239.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p8120026dk2.jpg)
(http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/5370/p8120025cz7.th.jpg) (http://img239.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p8120025cz7.jpg)
Throw some halls into the hive. Yes the throat candy. Halls. Anything mentholated will repel moths. Put on in the attic and the other right in the entrance.
How many?? will the bees eat them when they get gooey.
Are you using screened bottom boards on top of solid boards? Wax moths will often build in the debris that collects between the two, leading to larvae on your sticky board. If that's the case, you have to remember to clean off the solid board regularly, or just remove the solid board and let the hive debris fall to the ground.
Your pics are not big enough to really identify any of the little stuff, unfortunately. Maybe zoom in, crop, and post that pic, too.
I just have a screened bottom and the solid board in the pic slides in.
They have been out all summer so the debris falls to the ground.
Quote from: Moonshae on August 12, 2008, 09:56:14 PM
Are you using screened bottom boards on top of solid boards? Wax moths will often build in the debris that collects between the two, leading to larvae on your sticky board. If that's the case, you have to remember to clean off the solid board regularly, or just remove the solid board and let the hive debris fall to the ground.
Your pics are not big enough to really identify any of the little stuff, unfortunately. Maybe zoom in, crop, and post that pic, too.
This any better??
(http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/6458/p8120030yu7.th.jpg) (http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p8120030yu7.jpg)
Quote from: try2beegood on August 12, 2008, 10:08:16 PM
This any better??
(http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/6458/p8120030yu7.th.jpg) (http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p8120030yu7.jpg)
Much better! Looks like dark wax, just random hive debris. The larvae are most likely wax moth. If these are under your screened bottom board, you don't have much to worry about. If you put the sticky board above the screen, you should do a thorough inspection of your hive and remove all the larvae and webbing you see. If the bees aren't filling the space they have, reduce the frames they are using to one box and take away the extra, unmanaged space.
On the plus side, Don't see many varroa in the zoom pic.
Having just gone through this with my supposedly strong hive, I say you really need to open up the hive and check the frames for wax moths. I would not just rely on looking at the sticky board.
I had a hive which looked very strong to me. I did not check this hive for about 2 weeks and then everything changed. The wax moths got in and almost destroyed this hive. I brought them down to 2 medium supers, (from 6 mediums) and they were in tight enough to defend themselves from the moths. I did go in several times and cut out some wax moths that were still in there laying eggs. They are really fine now and no sign of any more moths.
Just check inside and then you will know.
Annette
Ok,
I'm going to get into the hives this weekend weather permitting. I just re-queened one of the hives 8-2.
It will be two weeks on sat. so it should be ok.
Thanks, for taking the time to address my concerns.
Never dull moment with bees is there!!
Paul
Look through the hive for wax moths and tunnels. They are often hard to see. That's where you care about them being there. If you have them IN the hive and not just on under the SBB, condense the bees down (remove as many boxes as you can and still cram them into the hive). Freeze any infested frames to kill the larvae in them.