Wax moth infestation

[Rueberue]

Late this summer I did the unforgivable thing of opening the supers on one hive and not sealing the lid back on very well. Next time I went passed the wasps were having a field day with robbing and attacking the bees. Sadly they killed the hive, and when I opened up the hive wax moth had moved in. A rather large learning experience on one poor hive. I hasten to add, that next door the hive did brilliantly and I have just extracted 44 kg of honey.

My questions are - how do I deal with the frames and the brood box with the wax moth infestation? So far I have removed all the drawn wax and scraped down the frames and brood box . I was then intending to scorch all the wood, and then find a friend with a chest freezer to put the frames in. Is there anything else I should do - or should I just destroy the lot?

What to do with all the spoilt drawn wax? Can it be put on the compost pile? Or just sent to landfill. It is too disgusting to try to melt down.

Do any of you have some dismal stories like mine above to share?

[Apiarisnt]

My comments, for what they are worth:

• Frames: is it really worth trying to save them given the costs and risks?
  
  Wax: Compost heap might attract more moths and unlikely to rot down readily. Best to burn if space and location allows, otherwise landfill
  
  BB: Scorch, freeze; and then if you want belt and braces use Certan if you are rich enough, or if you are mean like me buy Dipel DF from Italy via ebay and use that.

[Patrick]

Bad luck Ruberue. It’s easy to beat yourself up when you make a relatively trivial error and the consequences are dire but good on you for admitting it.

Truth is anybody who has kept bees a while will have made similar slip ups - it’s just not everybody admits them!

If all the combs are welded together with silk and pupal shucks I would burn them as well but be careful, wax burns long and fiercely. What you do with the frames is up to you - personally I do recycle all my kit.

Another option to consider with this sort of thing if you have no comb to seal of is to make a stack of solid floor blocked off entrance, eke with hole in, brood box and frames, crownboard and roof. Bung the hose of a cheapo wallpaper stripper into the eke hole and steam everything for a while. All moth eggs etc sorted. Scrape clean and reuse.

[Rueberue]

What a neat solution for sorting out the little critters. - I like the idea of steaming them. I am a gentle person at heart - but not in this instance. I had opened the top of the hive as I read that they disliked sunlight - so they got sunlight and rain, and that has killed most but left me with a horrid mess - now mostly sorted.

I am amazed at how they have burrowed into the wood of frames and into any joint. I will reuse all I can once I am sure they are scorched and frozen.

Another question will the moths have left eggs behind that are harder to see?

[AdamD]

It's the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella that burrows. Think of it forming little galleries if you want to remember the Latin name and not confuse it with the lesser wax moth, Achroia grisella.

I recall reading that wax moth can eat plastic (some mini-nucs of mine bear witness to that) so I wonder whether they can be used or bred to recycle old polystyrene.

Freezing (either in a freezer or outside in a cold winter) should ensure there is no viable wax moth for next year. You can also fumigate with sulphur strips but that is probably more worth-while when you have decent intact comb. You do need to take precautions if you use the stuff though.

[Patrick]

Liking the gallery idea Adam.

I did experiment with sulphur strips a few years. I have just about stopped coughing..