How To Keep Wax Moths Out Of Stored Supers

Wax Moth Control

The greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella Linnaeus) (Figure 1) and lesser wax moth (Achroia grisella Fabricius) (Effigy 2) thrive nearly yr-round in Florida's mild climate. Both wax moth eggs and their larvae (Figure three) can almost e'er be plant in bee colonies, but they are no gamble to salubrious colonies considering they are routinely eliminated by worker bees, which keeps their populations in cheque. Although they practice not create problems in good for you bee colonies, wax moths are still a serious concern for beekeepers. Not only tin they become a problem in a weakened bee colony, they also ruin stored honey bee combs and cause plush damage to beekeeping equipment.

Figure 1. Female (left) and male (right) greater wax moth adults.
Credit: UF/IFAS

Figure 2. Female (left) and male (right) lesser wax moth adults.
Credit: UF/IFAS

Effigy three. Greater wax moth eggs (left pointer) and one^st instar larva (correct arrow).
Credit: UF/IFAS

Later on hatching, wax moth larvae will begin eating beeswax and beeswax contaminants, leaving backside frass (excrement) and webbing (Figure 4). Mature greater wax moth larvae are gray and approximately 20 mm long (Paddock 1918) (Figure 5). These mature larvae are besides capable of slow into the woodenware within the hive, damaging the hive body or frames (Figure vi).

Effigy 4. Greater wax moth damage (frass and webbing) to wax comb.
Credit: UF/IFAS

Figure 5. Greater wax moth larva in a wax cell in the brood nest.
Credit: UF/IFAS

Figure six. Wax moth damage to the inside wall of the hive.
Credit: UF/IFAS

Wax Moth Command in Living Colonies

No chemical control options are available for the control of wax moths in living bee colonies. More often than not, a stiff honey bee colony volition go along wax moth populations low. Large wax moth populations in bee colonies usually result from a reduction in bee colony populations for some other reason (starvation, pesticide poisoning, failing queen, disease, etc.) that allows the moths to become established. Thus, the best defense against wax moths in living colonies is to go on colonies otherwise potent, free of diseases and pests, and queenright. Although they are typically present in weakened bee colonies, wax moths usually are not the direct crusade of a colony's demise.

Wax Moth Control in Stored Equipment

Older, darker wax comb is more than appealing to wax moths than is foundation or newer, lighter combs. Some of the worst cases of wax moth impairment occur in stacks of stored supers containing dark comb. This appears to be the platonic surroundings for the moth larvae, which build up to large populations chop-chop.

Traditionally, wax moths in stored supers have been controlled with chemical fumigation. The availability and suitability of fumigant chemicals, however, are constantly in flux. The chemical fumigants legally available for this use in Florida (at time of publication) are aluminum phosphide, methyl bromide, phosphine gas, and magnesium phosphide. These products can exist expensive and may require special training and/or a restricted-apply pesticide license to utilize, and there is the ever-present run a risk the chemicals might detect their way into the wax or honey.

Beekeepers should buy whatever fumigants for beekeeping use from beekeeping suppliers considering these companies tin provide consummate information on use of the substance in beekeeping situations. All pesticides used on stored rummage must be labelled for such use. As always, the label is the law, and nether no circumstances should a pesticide be used if the particular apply is not specified on the label. Exercise extreme caution when using pesticides anywhere near a apiculture operation.

Alternatives to chemic fumigation accept not been found to exist practical in large-scale applications just may exist useful in smaller outfits.

Temperature manipulation is a safe and effective alternative to chemic control that is not much used in US commercial beekeeping operations, though it is commonplace in commercial operations elsewhere, such as in Australia. The process is simple: identify infested honeycomb and beekeeping equipment in a freezer for at least 72 hours and remove after that flow, being sure to handle the fragile frozen beeswax with great care and so as not to break it.

Calorie-free combs tin can exist protected by increasing the catamenia of light and air through the supers containing them. This is best done under a covered, open up-walled shed located outside. Supers containing combs to exist protected this fashion can be stacked at right angles to one another to increase light and airflow through the stack (Figure vii). Although non applicative to every beekeeper's mode, this storage method provides maximum ventilation and lighting and is another alternative to chemical fumigation.

Figure 7. Supers with frames of combs stacked at right angles in a covered, open-walled shed.
Credit: UF/IFAS

Selected References

Egelie, A. A., A. N. Mortensen, L. Hairdresser, J. Sullivan, and J. D. Ellis. 2022. Lesser Wax Moth Achroia grisella Fabricius (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). EENY-637. Gainesville: University of Florida Found of Food and Agronomical Sciences. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1108

Ellis, J. D., J. R. Graham, and A. Due north. Mortensen. 2022. "Standard methods for wax moth research." Journal of Apicultural Research 52(1): ane–17.

Paddock, F.B. 1918. The beemoth or waxworm. Texas Agricultural Experiment Station; United states. 44 pp.

Publication # ENY121

Date: seven/19/2021

• Ellis, James D.
• Jack, Cameron

• DOI: doi.org/10.32473/edis-aa141-2018
• Plan Area: Integrated Pest Management

Almost this Publication

This certificate is ENY121, one of a series of the Entomology and Nematology Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication engagement October 1993. Revised February 1995, March 2022, and April 2022. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

Most the Authors

Cameron J. Jack, graduate educatee; and Jamie D. Ellis, associate professor, Entomology and Nematology Department, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Contacts

• Amy Vu
• James Ellis

Source: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/AA141

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