Post-harvest time is a good time to look for wax moth in your colonies. Believe it or not, wax moths are around pretty much all of the time. On today’s episode, Kim and Jim discuss wax moths!
Strong colonies keep them pretty much under control, but weak colonies sometimes can’t keep up and soon they’ll have more wax moth larvae than honey bees.
Stored equipment is another challenge. Some beekeepers will freeze supers after harvest to kill any moth larvae before storing them away for the winter. If you have unheated winter storage you can pretty much avoid problems – if it gets below freezing before the wax moths take over. But if you have mild winters, you need to stack your supers so they get fresh air and light all the time. Fresh air and light are a moth’s worst enemies, so keep your combs exposed.
There are control products you can consider and use, too.
Moths can be beneficial. They can quickly clean up old comb for you! Plus, the larvae are great fish bait!
Wax moths are a natural part of the bee ecosystem. Learning how to work with them is a part of beekeeping.
We hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please follow or subscribe today and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!
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Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
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