Maggot or caterpillar ?

Pete · October 01, 2010, 06:37:22 AM

I noticed a maggot type creature, but it moved like a caterpillar moving over the frames. Other bees has a crack at grabbing it but it kept escaping. Seeing the other bees try and kill i figured i would do it for them.

Anyone ever see this crawlin over the brood?

JP · October 01, 2010, 07:33:37 AM

Sounds like wax moth larvae. See any webbing? If you have several boxes on this hive and not quite enough bees to patrol the entire space within this set up, you may need to pull some boxes and condense their efforts.

Wax moths often show up after a hive has swarmed and there is too much space within the set up.

...JP

Culley · October 01, 2010, 09:45:24 AM

Don't know what hive beetles are like down there, but we have beetle larvae at the moment here in NSW.

Edit: hope this helps:

AllenF · October 01, 2010, 10:31:57 AM

Small hive beetle or wax moth. Small hive beetle larvae often congregate in corners, possibly to retain heat. This clustering distinguishes beetle larvae from wax moth larvae that are found scattered throughout weak colonies. Other distinguishing characteristics include size. Beetle larvae never reach the size of mature wax moth larvae. Also, beetle larvae have three pairs of jointed, "true" legs located behind the head. Wax moth larvae have many small, fleshy, uniform legs along the length of the body. And the bodies of beetle larvae have tough exteriors while those of wax moth larvae are soft and easily penetrated.

Pete · October 01, 2010, 11:53:28 AM

Crap. Its a wax moth larva that i saw. :?

Off to read up on getting rid of them :(

OzBuzz · October 03, 2010, 07:09:27 PM

If you only have a few hold the frame up to the sun, locate them and pierce them with a sewing needle-the bees take care of the rest

Pete · October 03, 2010, 07:18:20 PM

Yeah i just squashed with my hive tool.

they hive was directly on the ground and there was too much space in there...basically used a hive cos i have no Nuc. I combined it with another swarm and will check it in a few days...

Pete · December 11, 2011, 07:59:39 AM

That hive ended up failing and i stored the frames in the shed and i noticed they had a lot of moth so i stuck em in the freezer in the shed and they have been there since last summer.

Pulled em out and cleaned them and the moth has even eaten at the frames...they make a real mess.

Intheswamp · December 11, 2011, 09:13:19 AM

Wow! They *do* damage the wood! Thanks for posting. Anybody got any pictures of wax moth damage that they want to share?

Ed

CapnChkn · December 17, 2011, 10:12:47 PM

This was a hive my father left in the barn after he had given all the equipment away. The man said he was going to come back for it...

click for bigger

Mardak · December 18, 2011, 01:42:15 AM

Looks like wax moth. Squash and remove. Freeze frames before storing for winter or freeze them now and put back into boxes cleaned up. Strong hive will clean them up.

Intheswamp · December 18, 2011, 05:59:04 PM

CC, that is some interesting looking marking on the wood. Is it the pupae that leaves those marks or is it the caterpillar as it prepares it's cocoon? ...or, the waxmoth, itself?

Ed

Pete · December 18, 2011, 07:24:17 PM

Looks like the cocoon.

CapnChkn · December 19, 2011, 02:45:40 AM

I really don't know. The worm shaped holes are under the cocoons, and they obviously chewed the wood. My thinking is they want to set a place for the cocoon, and chew the hole there to anchor it. In nature it would probably be in rotten wood surrounding the cavity in the hive.

JP · December 19, 2011, 11:15:59 AM

The larvae is what causes the damage to woodenware.

...JP

Intheswamp · December 19, 2011, 01:55:45 PM

Thanks JP.