How to save dry land from wax moth: how and where to keep frames, pest control

Wax moth is a parasite that belongs to the family of true moths. The insect is a type of mole-shaped butterfly and is considered the main pest in the apiary. It is also called bee fire. The harmful individual lays eggs in combs, from which larvae appear and begin to sharpen wax plates. Therefore, at the end of the honey harvesting season, a reasonable question arises before the beekeeper about how to save dry land from wax moth.

Factors affecting the safety of cells

To place frames with dry land, you first need to choose a suitable place.

In this process, it should be taken into account that the following factors influence its quality:

• where the honeycomb frames fold;
• room temperature;
• air humidity;
• processing frames before placing in cell storage;
• preventive measures to combat the invasion of rodents and harmful insects, including the borer.

Proper storage of honeycomb frames ensures their suitability for the next year and protects them from wax moth infestation.

Storage rules

To store wax dry in winter and protect it from wax moth, follow these product storage rules:

1. Air temperature. The moth is very afraid of low temperatures, so place the frames with honeycombs in a cool room where the air is warmed up to no more than +10 ° С.
2. Humidity. Its rate should not exceed 70-80%, otherwise it will lead to liquefaction of honey with its subsequent fermentation and souring. The honeycomb will begin to become covered with dust and rot, and if there is also bee bread in them, it will become unusable.
3. Pay due attention to room ventilation. It must be well ventilated, as the air must not be allowed to stagnate.

These simple rules will keep your honeycomb frames until it's time to use them again.

How to keep dry wax moths away

When dealing with wax moths, there are only 2 options - the use of specialized chemicals designed to control pests, or the use of folk remedies. It's best 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.

If you have such an opportunity, then 1-2 times a month take out the combs in the cold and leave for several hours. Moth eggs perish already at 0 °C, and at a temperature of ˗10 °C already adults of the parasite die.

Chemistry against pests

There are specialized stores that sell goods for beekeepers, offer a wide range of drugs aimed at combating parasites and pests. To destroy the wax moth, experts recommend using professional chemicals. They belong to the group of fumigants and consist of:

• sulphur;
• acetic acid;
• ethylene bromide;
• potassium cyanide;
• methyl bromide;
• phosphorine;
• naphthalene;
• carbon dioxide.

Such preparations 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 come into contact with the mucous membranes of the eyes or in the respiratory tract. Wear a respirator or mask when working with these products!

Physical elimination

Indicates exposure to high temperatures on the honeycomb where the wax moth was found. For such processing, it is necessary to collect all damaged frames and fold 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 in large bee farms.

For smaller apiaries, there is no need to use a "steam room" - ordinary hot water will do. You need to keep dry in it for 3-5 hours, but it is important to take into account that the procedure can provoke wax deformation.

Mechanical moth control

If the parasite has already settled in the honeycomb, then the frames will have to be removed and, turning over, tapping on them several times. When the larvae and adults of the wax moth 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 framework.

Unfortunately, further use of cells sometimes becomes impossible. After mechanical removal, it may be necessary to melt the wax and then buy new frames.

Advice from the people

In the arsenal of folk remedies, there are also many effective methods of dealing with wax moths on land. The following methods of eliminating a dangerous parasite are considered the most effective.

S alt

First you need to prepare a concentrated saline solution. Then pour it into a spray bottle, clean the bee products from the frames and carefully spray every centimeter of the plates.

Nothing else to do - return the products back to their place. In the spring, before placing the frames in the hive, rinse them under running water. After s alt treatment, parasites no longer settle in either bee houses or combs.

Vinegar

80% vinegar is used to fight harmful moths. When using it, all cells must be sealed so that the vapors of the solution do not begin to evaporate.

If necessary, repeat the procedure twice, after each time evaluating how many parasite larvae died during the manipulation. For 20 frames, you will need from 50 to 100 milliliters of funds.

Sulfur

Fumigating sushi with sulfuric smoke is another well-known way to quickly get rid of annoying insects that spoil wax plates. You can "smoke" the hives or cell storage where the frames are located, but you can also install smoldering sulfur powder in a pile. For 1 cube of material, 50 grams of the substance will be needed.

Holding time is 24 hours. As in the case of acetic acid, the processed dry land must be covered from above. Repeat the procedure after 10-15 days.

Immortelle

Herbs with a sharp, specific smell are considered no less effective in the fight against wax moth. Therefore, bunches of mint, wormwood and immortelle are often laid out between sushi plates.

But you can do it a little differently. Take immortelle grass, finely chop it and arrange it in frames. Lay the other part of the prepared raw material at the bottom of the bee dwelling. Leave the plant until spring - by then there will be no trace of the wax moth in sushi and beehives.

Tobacco

This is a strong folk remedy for eliminating and preventing the invasion of moths on land. The main secret of efficiency is the right raw material.

During the flowering phase, tobacco should be cut at the root and spread between the combs. Leaves from one bush of culture will be enough to process 3 bee houses. And in winter, you can use dried tobacco leaves for this purpose.

Prevention

Keeping the moth out is a doable task. To do this, follow these guidelines:

• keep your hives completely clean at all times;
• in autumn and spring, perform preventive pest control using drugs or folk remedies;
• Properly store the frames, observing all the previously described conditions;
• correct any problems in a timely manner, fix breakdowns in the apiary;
• keep the wax in a closed container, and if possible, immediately recycle it;
• keep spare combs sealed or wrapped in polyethylene.

If you notice that the wax moth has already begun to fill the land, immediately take measures to destroy it. Do not expect it to disappear by itself: it will not only sharpen the combs, but also lead to deterioration of the beekeeping products that will be there.

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