At 05:24 AM 12/25/2005, you wrote:
>I would appreciate referral to a definitive treatise on the life
>cycle of the perfidious and opportunistic wax moth.

Dave Cushman does a good job, see:
http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/waxmothlifecycle.html

Here (Ohio) wax moths are rarely a problem spring and summer and only
become a problem late summer and fall when their population reaches
it's peak.  This is in part i believe because few survive the winter
so populations are very low in spring, so it usually takes all season
for them to get to levels that are noticeable.  Second, after our
harvest in fall there are lots empty of supers around for them to
infest, both from extracted honey and hives with shrinking
populations.  Some years aren't too bad, others (like this past fall)
anything left unprotected was sure to be full of larvae in fairly short order.

They do tend to prefer older comb with pollen and cocoons.  And
rarely have I seen them infest new foundation.  But it can happen and
they can be active at fairly cool temperatures (the adults are
usually active at night).  Your heated building probably gave them
ideal conditions (warmer conditions in the dark).

-Tim

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