Drawn comb / Wax Moths - How to prevent them from damaging extracted comb - Ask Extension
I processed my honey supers and placed the drawn comb in plastic bins. I thought this would prevent wax moths from damaging the comb. Unfortunately, ...
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Drawn comb / Wax Moths - How to prevent them from damaging extracted comb #887780
Asked October 12, 2024, 9:06 AM EDT
I processed my honey supers and placed the drawn comb in plastic bins. I thought this would prevent wax moths from damaging the comb. Unfortunately, I checked the bins and wax moths did exist and were damaging them. I found webbing and pupae on the frames. Any advice on how to prevent them ?
Washtenaw County Michigan
Expert Response
Thanks for reaching out!
Pests like wax moths are attracted to combs, especially if the combs contain pollen or pupal casings from rearing brood. Some beekeepers who have the luxury of extra freezer space store combs in the freezer to protect them. If you don't have freezer space to store brood combs, you can use Para-Moth to deter wax moths. The University of Minnesota Bee Lab's Pest & Disease Manual describes how to use it. Please note that Para-Moth is different from the moth balls people use to protect clothing; moth balls should not be used in beekeeping equipment.
Happy beekeeping!
