Anyone wondering what wax worms look like (as they start working into an empty hive), here's a good photo. Your easiest fix -- especially in a small hive--is to freeze the frames, which kills all the eggs and larvae, and hope bees move in quickly! A large, healthy hive will keep out wax moths. #beekeeping#tips#beekeepingtips#waxmoths https://m.ai6yr.org/@natesiggard/112294809202487916
Wax moths have a valuable role, I believe, in the ecosystem -- especially in the wild. They favor old, dark wax (which bees HATE), and consume it to for nutrition. In hives in trees, they will eat away all the old crappy wax and some wood (for good measure), and then they die off when they run out of old wax. That leaves a VERY CLEAN and pristine cavern that is perfect for bees. The bees move back in and the cycle starts again. (this process, however, is very destructive for beekeepers, as they destroy frames, foundation, and even boxes). #beekeeping#waxmoths#tips