<waxmoth>    22dec95 0852
 
"Waxmoth Ideas 4 Beeginners"
 
A. BROODCHAMBERS
 
1. Wax moths never appear in  s t r o n g hives; that is,
   they take over only weak and failing colonies.
 
2. For such colonies, DON'T WAIT. Combine them immediately w/
   strong ones, using newspaper method.
 
3. If a hive has died and the wax moths have not yet taken
   over, disburse the hive bodies (mine are alldoublebrooded)
   among strong colonies (U now have triple-brooded ones)..
 
4. If the hive is discovered too late (advanced stages of
   waxmoth), I remove frames, set them out in the open for
   other bees to capture any available honey. If available
   comb is present, I run them, frame in all, in my solar wax
   melter to rescue the wax (comes out 99.9% clean the first
   time around).  If the comb is not salvageable, I cut it
   out w/ kitchen knife, burn it, and sterilize the frames w/
   a propane torch B4 using again.
 
  (I don't think you'll find this in any books; however,
   maybe I've reinvented the wheel?)
 
B. SUPERS   (Temperature range, central Maryland: 0-95oF.)
 
1. MT supers w/ drawn comb are highly susceptible to wax-moth
   infestation.
 
2. For year-round storage until ready for use, I stack them
  10 high (I use shallow supers only in my operation, NOT
  mediums or deeps), each two divided by a sheet ofnewspaper.
  Each two receive one tablespoon of paradichlorobenzene (PDB
  crystals and NOT napthalene mothballs) sprinkled over the
  top one before covered w/ newspaper. (It goes w/o saying
  that there should be no cracks present in the stack. Use
  duct tape if necessary.)
 
3. Wax moth eggs, always present, never hatch out in them.
   Before using them, I air them out in the sun for several
   hours or until the smell has disappeared.
 
4. In the winter time, extra shallows w/ drawncomb are stored
   on top of my living hives, two per hive, just above the
   inner cover on a doublebrooded colony and just below the
   outer cover.  This is my preference.
 
5. About April 1, I like to get all supers back on all hives
   (up to three per hive--I don't own more than 30 shallow
   supers w/ drawn comb). I check them for filling about once
   weekly and switch them about as necessary, so that by
   extracting time, mid-June, some hives will have no supers
   while others three. (Only wildflower honey, usually tulip
   poplar, sometimes black locust or mixed--these trees bloom
   here from 1may to 1 jun. And that's the end of the
   honeyflow for the year.  Jack the B-Man MX&HNY (mixhoney?)