Wax moth is a parasite that belongs to the family of true moths. The insect is a species of moth and is considered a major pest in the apiary. It is also called bee moth. The harmful individual lays eggs in the honeycomb, from which larvae emerge and begin to sharpen the wax plates. Therefore, at the end of the honey harvesting season, a beekeeper faces a reasonable question about how to preserve dryness from wax moths.
Factors affecting the safety of cells
To place drying frames, you first need to choose a suitable place.
In this process, it should be taken into account that its quality is influenced by the following factors:
- the place where the honeycomb frames are folded;
- room temperature;
- air humidity;
- processing of frames before placing in honeycomb storage;
- preventive measures aimed at combating infestations of rodents and harmful insects, including moths.
Proper storage of honeycomb frames ensures their suitability for the next year and protects them from wax moth invasion.
Storage rules
To store wax drying in winter and protect it from wax moths, follow these product storage rules:
- Air temperature. The moth is very afraid of low temperatures, so place frames with honeycombs in a cool room where the air is heated to no more than +10 °C.
- Air humidity. Its indicator should not exceed 70-80%, otherwise it will lead to liquefaction of honey with its subsequent fermentation and souring. The honeycombs will begin to become covered with dust and rot, and if they also contain beebread, it will become unusable.
- Pay due attention to room ventilation. It must be well ventilated, since air stagnation should not be allowed.
These simple rules will allow you to save your honeycomb frames until the time comes to use them again for their intended purpose.
How to preserve dry land from wax moths
When fighting wax moths, there are only 2 options - the use of specialized chemicals designed to control pests, or the use of folk remedies. It is better to start with the safest methods.
Emergency Rescue
To quickly get rid of a dangerous insect, use a proven and long-known method.It involves freezing frames in cold winter weather.
Chemicals against pests
There are specialized stores that sell goods for beekeepers and offer a wide selection of drugs aimed at combating parasites and pests. To destroy wax moths, experts recommend using professional chemicals. They belong to the group of fumigants and consist of:
- sulfur;
- acetic acid;
- ethylene bromide;
- potassium cyanide;
- methyl bromide;
- phosphorine;
- naphthalene;
- carbon dioxide.
Such drugs are capable of destroying the pest at any stage of its life cycle.
Be careful! Such drugs cannot be called completely safe. Do not allow them to get into the mucous membranes of the eyes or into the respiratory tract. Wear a respirator or mask when working with such products!
Physical elimination
Involves the effect of high temperatures on the honeycombs where wax moths were found. For this treatment, it is necessary to collect all damaged frames and place them in a place isolated from the hives.
Then the room is closed, and the plates are affected by the temperature, which sometimes reaches +80 °C. The procedure takes from 1 to 4 hours and is used mainly on large bee farms.
For smaller apiaries there is no need to use a “steam room” - ordinary hot water will do.You need to keep it dry for 3-5 hours, but it is important to take into account that the procedure can cause deformation of the wax.
Mechanical moth control
If the parasite has already settled into the honeycomb, then the frames will have to be removed and, turning them over, tapped on them several times. When wax moth larvae and adults begin to fall out, they must be destroyed immediately. Such procedures will have to be carried out until the last insect is removed from the frame.
Unfortunately, further use of the cell sometimes becomes impossible. After mechanical removal, it may be necessary to melt the wax and then purchase new frames.
Advice from the people
The arsenal of folk remedies also has many effective methods of combating wax moths on sushi. The following methods of eliminating a dangerous parasite are considered the most effective.
Salt
First, you need to prepare a concentrated saline solution. Then pour it into a spray bottle, clean the frames of bee products and thoroughly spray every centimeter of the plates.
Vinegar
To combat harmful moths, 80% vinegar is used. When using it, all cells must be sealed so that the solution vapors do not begin to evaporate.
If necessary, repeat the procedure twice, after each time assessing how many parasite larvae died during the manipulation. For 20 frames you will need from 50 to 100 milliliters of product.
Sulfur
Fumigating sushi with sulfur smoke is another well-known method that helps quickly get rid of the annoying insect that spoils the wax plates. You can “smoke” hives or a honeycomb storage facility where the frames are located, but you can also place smoldering sulfur powder in a stack. For 1 cubic meter of material you will need 50 grams of the substance.
The holding time is 24 hours. As in the case of acetic acid, the top of the sushi to be processed must be covered. The procedure should be repeated after 10-15 days.
Immortelle
Herbs with a sharp, specific odor are considered no less effective in combating wax moths. Therefore, bunches of mint, wormwood and immortelle are often laid out between the plates of sushi.
But you can do it a little differently. Take immortelle grass, chop it finely and arrange it in frames. Place the other part of the prepared raw materials at the bottom of the bee’s home. Leave the plant until spring - by then there will be no trace of wax moths in the land and beehives.
Tobacco
This is a powerful folk remedy for eliminating and preventing the invasion of moths on land. The main secret of efficiency is the correctly selected raw materials.
During the flowering phase, tobacco must be cut at the root and spread between the honeycombs. Leaves from one bush of the crop will be enough to process 3 bee houses. And in winter, you can use dried tobacco leaves for this purpose.
Prevention
Preventing the appearance of moths is a feasible task. To do this, follow the following recommendations:
- always keep the hives completely clean;
- In autumn and spring, carry out preventive disinsection using drugs or folk remedies;
- store frames correctly, observing all previously described conditions;
- correct any problems in a timely manner, eliminate breakdowns in the apiary;
- keep the wax in a closed container, and if possible, recycle it immediately;
- Keep reserve cells sealed or wrapped in plastic.
If you notice that wax moths have already begun to fill the dry land, immediately take measures to destroy it. Don’t expect it to disappear on its own: it will not only damage the honeycombs, but will also lead to damage to the beekeeping products that end up there.
