After shaking out a couple of deeps this summer because of laying workers I had to put 4 empty deeps in the my basement for storage. I tried my garage, but having thousand of bees flying around was a little annoying. My problem is the wax moths destroyed all of the frames and I had to throw them all out. I don't have a deep freezer to kill the eggs on the frames. Are moth balls the only option or is there some other solution.
If you do not have many you can seal them in plastic garbage bags, make sure you tape up all of the openings so nothing can get into them.
You need to use BT I don't know the exact name someone will chime in
I know Hardwood talked of it and I heard about other times call your Bee Supply
They sell it
I believe if you seal it and they are in there your comb is toast
Tommyt
Quote from: garys520 on August 24, 2011, 07:51:55 AM
After shaking out a couple of deeps this summer because of laying workers I had to put 4 empty deeps in the my basement for storage. I tried my garage, but having thousand of bees flying around was a little annoying. My problem is the wax moths destroyed all of the frames and I had to throw them all out. I don't have a deep freezer to kill the eggs on the frames. Are moth balls the only option or is there some other solution.
You could distribute those empty deeps among your other hives to let the bees keep them clean. Or pull the frames and store them outside in the sunshine. After the weather gets down to freezing, you can store the boxes outside.
TommyT, here's the Wiki on it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diseases_of_the_honey_bee#Wax_moths (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diseases_of_the_honey_bee#Wax_moths)
I can't tell you the difference, but it's aizawai variety of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spores. There's also a caution about Nosema and GMO Corn with the BT gene. Can't do much about that. TommyT is right about it's effectiveness, that stuff will kill any Caterpillar!
Bt:
Certan sold as for use on bees --- Canada-- see beeworks.
Xentari sold to farmers in the US. Not labeled for bees but the same in powder form.
>My problem is the wax moths destroyed all of the frames and I had to throw them all out.
I have seen a few bottom bars thin enough that they were pretty fragile. I've never thrown out a frame because of wax moths...
> I don't have a deep freezer to kill the eggs on the frames.
You do after winter sets in. Leave them on the hive until winter sets in and then pull them off and put them where they will freeze. Never put them in a warm humid place like a basement.
> Are moth balls the only option or is there some other solution.
Moth balls are usually napthenate. They are never an option. PDB is legally acceptable, but it is a carcinogen. I let the bees guard them until the freezing weather will guard them.
Bt is another option.