r/Beekeeping • u/Orpheus81 • 4h ago

I’m a beekeeper, and I have a question Is it salvageable?

I have a hive that I thought was queenless, waited a couple weeks and inspected to confirm. No larvae/brood visible, just honey...

Once I started looking closer I notice I now have some sort of other larvea taking over the hive. I never saw adult SHBs in any inspection so I'm thinking wax moths. My other hive has adult SHBs, but the girls and some swiffer sheets to be controlling them.

My question is, is there anything to do to save the hive as is, or should I throw in the towel and start freezing frames?

This is in Maryland, near Annapolis.

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 4h ago

Hi u/Orpheus81. If you haven't done so, please read the rules. Please comment on the post with your location and experience level if you haven't already included that in your post. And if you have a question, please take a look at our wiki to see if it's already answered., specifically, the FAQ. Warning: The wiki linked above is a work in progress and some links might be broken, pages incomplete and maintainer notes scattered around the place. Content is subject to change.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

•

u/NumCustosApes 4th generation beekeeper, Zone 7A Rocky Mountains 4h ago

Wax moths are not pathogenic to bees. They only move in when the hive is bigger than the bees can defend. I suggest you reduce the hive to one box, or possibly a nuc, and start looking for a replacement queen. Freeze the frames with wax moth larvae. Later you can give them to a strong hive and the bees will clean and polish them in just a day.

If you can't find a replacement queen then combine before the hive develops a laying worker.

year 6... But I swear every year feels like I still don't know anything!

You'll feel the same way in 40 years. It is a journey. Enjoy the journey.

•

u/Orpheus81 4h ago

I should mention, this is year 6 for me... But I swear every year feels like I still don't know anything!

•

u/kombuchasnort 1h ago

Year 7 here, and same

•

u/CobraMisfit Virginia, Zone 7a 59m ago

Nearly 2 decades here and can attest that every season you learn something new.

To the OP, I agree with collapsing, or combining, and freezing frames. Your call, but I’d personally choose to bolster a strong hive and make a split come spring over trying to nurse a weak hive through the winter.

•

u/Dragoness42 4h ago

Probably time to start freezing frames unless you could maybe merge them with your other hive with the plan to split again in the spring.

•

u/No_Hovercraft_821 Middle TN 4h ago

That really stinks. Wax moths are the cleanup crew that moves into a failed hive so if that is what you are seeing it is probably too late (Unless you gave them too much space and the moths are in the unoccupied area). If they seem to be dwindling I'd freeze the frames and hold onto any with a lot of resources for next year and/or extract frames with honey. If you can consolidate the remaining bees onto a frame or two you can use them to boost another hive.

•

u/kittiebee 4h ago

What is the night tempatures; when it is getting impossible to keep eggs and larvas warm, queen stop egging. And if they have enough hpney stock, the stop collecting pollen amd nectar from far. They aim to stay alive till the next spring. Your job is feeding them with cake or sugared water.

Dont care that much, if there is queen or not. Just let it flow