Old Warre Comb

Bush_84 · March 18, 2013, 12:39:45 AM

So I have some warre boxes of comb. I don't intend of repopulating it this year. What do you think I should do with it. Some of it broke off the top bar so I rubber banded it to a Lang frame. I have about 5 boxes. Should I put more of them in Lang frames? Otherwise I was just going to put them out to maybe entice a swarm. Anything moth related I should consider if I just leave it in an empty box?

bailey · March 18, 2013, 10:57:32 AM

If you leave it out get some bt to spray the comb with otherwise wax moth will destroy it.
Baile

Bush_84 · March 18, 2013, 11:31:19 AM

Quote from: bailey on March 18, 2013, 10:57:32 AM
If you leave it out get some bt to spray the comb with otherwise wax moth will destroy it.
Baile

Do you have a source for the stuff?

D Coates · March 18, 2013, 12:21:25 PM

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?225796-Agree-WG-Bt-Aizawai-Powder I'm not sure if Sundance is here but he's a good guy to deal with.

Bush_84 · March 18, 2013, 01:36:21 PM

Quote from: D Coates on March 18, 2013, 12:21:25 PM
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?225796-Agree-WG-Bt-Aizawai-Powder I'm not sure if Sundance is here but he's a good guy to deal with.

Awesome. Does spraying the comb have any issues with enticing a swarm? Also how long does that last/when to reapply?

D Coates · March 18, 2013, 03:03:29 PM

Once it's on it's like little landmines waiting to be triggered by the gut of a wax moth larva. You can smell it a little when you spray it on but once it's dry it's got no smell I can pick up. I put it on frames that I'm putting in swarm traps. You'll see a little webbing here and there where moth larva started but a couple cells away you'll find a desiccated wax moth larva. It's a fungus spore that dormant but I'm not 100% certain how long it's viable. I do know it's good for at least a year though. I've found no trouble with it's use and enticing swarms. I don't work too hard at attracting swarms though (only one or two a year) but I'll pull these traps from the field for swarms I get calls on. I use them as catch boxes as my supplies dwindle. They do just fine.

Bush_84 · March 18, 2013, 07:22:41 PM

Well maybe I will just leave these warre boxes full of comb. The more comb the better for enticing a local swarm. I don't recall seeing honey bees around my house before I kept bees, but maybe I just wasn't watching closely. I know for a fact that the mayor of my town keeps bees. So that's something.

bailey · March 19, 2013, 12:23:34 AM

Just be sure to do the bt thing or get ready to have a hive full of good fish bait.
Bailey