How do you use moth crystals? Do I have to use a drawer like on page 70 of Dadant's catalog? How often do I need to apply them?
Stack your supers up and place the crystals in an open container on top of the top super. Place an empty super and a cover on top of it all. If you can seal it all up it helps make the crystals last longer. Check on it every couple of months to make sure you have crystals still in there.
Air your supers out for a few days before you use them.
Jim
Can someone explain the moth crystal concept ?
Thought you might be interested in this advice from the British Beekeepers Association, from their information sheet entitled 'Wax Moth in the Apiary'. But as always - in different countries, different protocols are used:
Quote
A treatment which was in common use and advised in older books but is no longer acceptable is the use of para-dichlorobenzene (PDB) crystals. This moth deterrent was extremely effective but the chemical can accumulate in the wax and possibly damage bee larvae and contaminate honey. This product should not be sold or used. Similarly, no household moth killer or moth balls should ever be used as they are all based on chemicals that are highly toxic to bees as well as moths and, as with PDB, can accumulate in wax and possibly contaminate honey - an example is naphthalene.
LJ
I gave up on moth crystals decades ago...
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeswaxmoths.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beespests.htm#waxmoths
Thanks, MB, I seen it mentioned on another site but couldn't find any info. Thanks