Larry asks about alternatives.

First, Larry, in your climate I question whether any 'airing out' in the
spring in necessary.  When I used it (I no longer do, but that story is
later) I made one application a stack, following directions.  That was in
September or October, depending where the supers were in the extraction
process.

The first time I put them on a hive was the following May, at least 5 months
later.  I found that amount of time was more than enough to preclude any
bee/larvae damage.  (I am near Albany, NY and Larry is near Chicago.)

Around here we have lots of commercial beekeepers and none use PDB or
anything similar.  Instead, they let the bees rob the combs after
extraction.  While the wax moths are after the spent cocoons and not the
honey, something about the robbing eliminates the wax moth larvae and makes
the combs unattractive to infestation.  (Perhaps someone can tell us why
this is so.)  Our first frost is typically about October 15, but beginning
about Sept 15 we have many nights in the high 30's, and those temperatures
slow down the wax moth so the pressure of infestation is relieved.

In this climate, the rule of thumb is that no significant wax moth damage
will result until after July 1, and in some fields nearby there are still
huge stacks of supers waiting to be put on hives.

Lloyd
Lloyd Spear, Owner Ross Rounds, Inc.
Manufacturers of Ross Rounds Comb
Honey Equipment, Sundance Pollen Traps
and Custom Printer of Sundance Labels.

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