Lost hive to wax moths

Blacksheep · October 17, 2016, 09:14:46 PM

Hi Guys:Well looks like it will be a long winter this year for us southern Tennessee bee keepers!wE HAVE BEEN WITH RAIN FOR ALMOST 40 DAYS AND EVERYTHING DRIED UP NO FALL NECTAR TO BE FOUND HERE SO QUEENS HAVE QUIT LAYING AND HIVES ARE GOING TO BE REALLY TESTED this winter.
I lost a package which I installed in the spring something happeneI took each frame with the beetles and moths and submerged them in hot bleach water and they let the moths in and they destroyed the hive.
Treatment for the hive I did-I submerged the frames of honey and beetles,moths mess into a large container filled with water and bleach,then cut out the combs and packed it all up and took it to the landfill.The larvae were all dead from the bleach water. iTHEN SCRAPED THE HIVE CLEAN AND PLAced it in the sun and BROUGHT THE FRAMES HOME AND WILL CLEAN THEM AND PLACE IN THE FREEZER FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. a DAY OR TWO WILL NOT KILL THE EGGS!
lOST PACKAGE OF BEES AND LOTS OF WORK!THAT'S BEE KEEPING I SUPPOSE!!

divemaster1963 · October 17, 2016, 10:29:23 PM

i had a hive that got wax moths in it. pulled all the frames and empty box. placed it all next to bird feeder. with in a hour it looked like the movie the birds. when out after they were gone. not a one egg or larve left. sprayed it all with strait bleech and left it to sun dry. put it all up for winter. used it the next year.

john

Dallasbeek · October 18, 2016, 06:11:01 AM

I'm with Blackeep. After the SHBs and wax moths have their day, the remains are so disgusting I just want to be rid of it. Maybe that's being too squeemish, but that's just how I feel.

bwallace23350 · October 18, 2016, 08:02:09 AM

I have been fortunate that we have had some sort of fall flow and the golden rod is still in bloom but it is around 30 days of no rain for my girls. I have not had any infestations just yet but I am sure it is coming.

FlexMedia.tv · October 30, 2016, 09:15:34 PM

Just lost my first one to wax moths. I did the same. Pulled the frames and left them by the bird feeder. Will the cold kill the rest?

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Michael Bush · October 31, 2016, 01:22:41 PM

Wax moths don't kill hives. Not enough density of bees is the cause of wax moth problems.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeswaxmoths.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesspace.htm

BeeMaster2 · October 31, 2016, 01:31:33 PM

Flex,
Freezing will kill the wax moths, small hive Beatles, they'd eggs and all of their larvae.
The amount of time it takes depends on the amount of material needs to be chilled and how much packing is around it. Usually 1 to 2 days in a freezer will kill all.
Jim

stanisr · October 31, 2016, 02:26:34 PM

Tried something new this year. I do not know if it made a real difference or not but in made me feel better. I hung a bug zapper near one of my bee yards with a timer turning it on at dark and off at daylight. There would routinely be a pile of moths under the zapper that were electrocuted during the night. I figured these moths were not laying eggs in my hives so it must help some.

FlexMedia.tv · November 02, 2016, 10:47:54 AM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on October 31, 2016, 01:31:33 PM
Flex,
Freezing will kill the wax moths, small hive Beatles, they'd eggs and all of their larvae.
Jim

Guess I should have done that the moment I noticed my hive was weak.

tycrnp · May 01, 2017, 01:31:04 AM

Just lost most of a colony to wax moths. I think my queen was weak, as the colony was shrinking. Then as the colony shrunk I didn't reduce the size of the top bar.

Got some more bees from a friend and re-queened. Fingers crossed. I've been told as long as I keep the colony strong this shouldn't be a problem in the future. Thoughts?

tycrnp · May 01, 2017, 01:35:22 AM

Quote from: stanisr on October 31, 2016, 02:26:34 PM
Tried something new this year. I do not know if it made a real difference or not but in made me feel better. I hung a bug zapper near one of my bee yards with a timer turning it on at dark and off at daylight. There would routinely be a pile of moths under the zapper that were electrocuted during the night. I figured these moths were not laying eggs in my hives so it must help some.

I really like the bug zapper idea. I am going to try it!