Still haunted by wax moths after all these years

[FlexMedia.tv]

I've been at this "hobby" for 5 years. So far, I haven't had a hive make it through the winter. They either freeze, starve, wax moths take over, swarm or whatever the cause, they don't make it. This year, I'm thinking this will be the year! I have 2 hives, somewhat similar. Both only have 2 boxes. One a breeder box, the other a full honey super. Both wrapped in Beecozy. I was feeding them with a heavy syrup mixture and when that ran out I switched to a homemade emergency feeder with sugar bricks. I changed that last month when it was 42 degrees and the bees were active inside the hive, not out and actually attacked me. (Silly me thinking they were dormant in this Michigan weather of straight 35 degrees prior..)

Before I wrapped them for the winter I took the 3rd super off each because they they only had a few frames partially filled with honey. Not enough at all to use as feed and the Beecozy only covers 2 supers. Anyway, I put these frames in a big Tupperware container that is airtight and I stored it inside. Today, I see all these wax moths (the flying type) inside. I know from experience, wax moth take over a weak hive. I tell ya, those 2 hives, at least the 2 boxes I covered are strong. I can't mess with them during this Michigan winter but can anyone tell me what I can expect in the Spring? Any instructions when I first open the hives?

Needless to say, I'm freezing those...darn things outside in the Tupperware container they hatched in.

Thanks for getting back with me,
Art

[robirot]

As long AS your hive is filled with bees, waxmoth shouldn't be a problem, bees can deal with then very good.

About the combs in the Tupperware container, never do that again.
Best is to extract all combs that are not inside a hive. Store the honey/syrup mix away for later feeding. The comb if it is dark, melt it, if you want to store it, let i geht cleaned out by the bees and store in a  box (beehive) with screened bottom (not sitting on the ground) abd screened lid.

Waxmoth don't like draft. If it you have to expect 60 ?F for more then 1 month, fume the combs once with formic acid (closed bottom and lid, add sponge towel and pour 20-40 ml formic into it.

[Acebird]

Art the trick is to freeze the frames before you store them.  After freezing boxes of frames I have stored them inside for months during the winter dearth.  If you wanted too you could mark what hive they came from and then they are perfect for spring feeding or splits.  I learned the hard way that if you pull a frame it must be frozen before stored so you can give it back to a hive or used in any other way.
Obviously this is not practical for commercial operators.

[SiWolKe]

I agree with ace.
I check the food frames once a week. I freeze those with weave for two days and nights and mark the frames so to know they have been to the freezer.

I don?t clean the frames after cutting the old combs, I leave a starter stripe of comb. These frames I put into a carton and put it outside when we have frost.

I?m not freezing frames before storing them in my workroom. I just watch them. I have 15 hives and it works. I usually have two or three dadant deep boxes full of food frames and drawn comb for my splits.. That means up to 32 frames.
I have space in my freezer for 6 frames at a time.

[Ben Framed]

Art the trick is to freeze the frames before you store them.  After freezing boxes of frames I have stored them inside for months during the winter dearth.  If you wanted too you could mark what hive they came from and then they are perfect for spring feeding or splits.  I learned the hard way that if you pull a frame it must be frozen before stored so you can give it back to a hive or used in any other way.
Obviously this is not practical for commercial operators.

You are right from what I have studied Ace. Ian Stepler, in Canada is a commercial beekeeper. He settled the problem by purchasing an 18 wheeler freezer trailer, just to freeze his equipment. Very clever of him!! Most likely, and I am just guessing, probably not very expensive as trucking companies replace these with new equipment frequently. He has a video I don't have the link handy.
Phillip

[FlexMedia.tv]

I normally freeze the frames I intend to use either in my swarm catchers or during the dearth. These didn't have much honey at all and I'm not going to use them so it is ok to put them in the Tupperware container. I'm happy I did take them out of the hives and hopefully I got them all.

[FlexMedia.tv]

As long AS your hive is filled with bees, waxmoth shouldn't be a problem, bees can deal with then very good.

Well, that's encouraging because at least, this time, the two boxes are full.
Thanks,
Art

[Acebird]

These didn't have much honey at all and I'm not going to use them so it is ok to put them in the Tupperware container.

If there were live moths or larvae on the frame you have to assume eggs so freeze before you store.  Doesn't matter what they are in, even open boxes.
Once everything is dead the frame can go back into the hive and the bees will clean when they want to use the frames.