Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Charles Wright on November 25, 2020, 01:31:19 pm

Title: Will wax moths mess with new unused wax coated foundations?
Post by: Charles Wright on November 25, 2020, 01:31:19 pm

Hey everyone. I'm storing my new bee boxes in my basement. Do I need to worry about anything like wax moths for a few months until I use them. Thanks.

Title: Re: Will wax moths mess with new unused wax coated foundations?
Post by: salvo on November 25, 2020, 02:37:14 pm

OMG! Your actually Mr. Wright! Lots of women looking for you.

This actually comes down to the age old question: Which came first, the wax moth or the egg?

If your cellar is clean and neat, and not open at all to the outside, there should be no wax moths in your cellar.

If your equipment/wax is moth and egg free, no problemo.

If there are no wax moths in your cellar, they won't be laying any eggs on your wax. No wax moth eggs, no little baby wax worms.

I've had a pack of wax foundation, open on a shelf, in my cellar since 2011. I have wax sculptures and blocks in the open for years gathering dust and bloom. I do keep my cleaned comb in hive bodies down there also, stacked six high. I squirt each frame with BT and sprinkle (the right kind) moth crystals inside the stack and cover. Works for me.

Does everybody here know that wax worms can eat and digest plastic, such as those black plastic trash bags? Some beeks I know have ^stored^ egg laden frames inside bags only to find the eggs hatch, destroy the comb, and eat through the bags.

But again, no eggs, no worms, no moths.

Be careful. 

Sal

Title: Re: Will wax moths mess with new unused wax coated foundations?
Post by: Michael Bush on November 25, 2020, 06:21:54 pm

For the most part wax moths leave foundation, even wax foundation, alone.  Only lesser wax moths will bother it at all and usually they don't.  A lesser wax moth can live on wax alone... a greater wax moth cannot.

Title: Re: Will wax moths mess with new unused wax coated foundations?
Post by: Charles Wright on November 26, 2020, 07:44:43 am

Thanks guys.

Title: Re: Will wax moths mess with new unused wax coated foundations?
Post by: Brian MCquilkin on November 28, 2020, 08:25:21 pm

If storing drawn comb,  you can put them in a freezer for a few days to kill and eggs or lave that might bee on them. Store them as you want after that. There is also the option of moth crystals.

Title: Re: Will wax moths mess with new unused wax coated foundations?
Post by: salvo on December 06, 2020, 11:42:12 am

Hi Folks,

A fellow beek sent me this this AM. Timely for this post. This has been know for a few years. And WE can eat the worms! YAY!!! WIN/WIN!!!


https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/scientists-found-a-caterpillar-that-eats-plastic-could-it-help-solve-our?fbclid=IwAR07jtQ1JwzgdETT4qAvtC8LYJIcFURt_SPWDuBACAisWzCG920iooXjeiI



Sal

Title: Re: Will wax moths mess with new unused wax coated foundations?
Post by: .30WCF on February 12, 2021, 02:54:22 pm

Is this wax moth trails on new foundation I?ve had in my building that never got used last year?
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210212/4c5e7085ae7bafe6d1c62e2c431a43d9.jpg)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Will wax moths mess with new unused wax coated foundations?
Post by: AR Beekeeper on February 12, 2021, 09:24:48 pm

Yes, those are caused by wax moths.  I have had foundation with light infestations during years of high moth populations.