Anyone used Pestex for moth control

[Anybrew]

Hi guys, I was wondering does anyone out there use Pestex (Purchased at Bee Expo) to fumigate their stored combs.  I have a wheelie Bin full of drawn comb and don't want Wax Moth's to destroy them.

I read the instruction however they relate to large quantities of stored grains. I was going to put one tablet in the Wheelie Bin/Otto and seal it with tape.

I am also unsure if there would be a residual pesticide on the frames that may affect the Bee's once I put the treated Comb's back in the hives in a few months??

Should the frames be left out to air before use?

Thanks in advance

Steve

[AllenF]

What is in it?   Who makes it?   Can not find much just googling the name.

[Anybrew]

Hi AllenF, it is made by Farmoz and in contains the following,
330g/Kg Phosphine(PH3) present as Aluminium Phosphide.
Each 3g tablet liberates 1g Phosphine (PH3)

From what I understand in reacts with moisture to produce Phosphine gas which fumigates stored grains/Bee Combs.  What I also believe if that the gas disperse's after 10 ten after application.

It appears that not many people use it, at the Bee expo they ran out of the stuff.

Cheers
Steve

[lilyfrog]

http://www.penders.net.au/catalogue/product.php/49/0/7/C%20010

or
Buy yourself an old chest freezer, wack you stickies in there for 3-5 days and hive beetle & wax moth killed also. Most of the commercial operations I have dealt with run either walking freezers or freezer shipping containers.

cheers
Mark
 

[Lone]

Thanks for the info..Steve, what do you mean that it disperses?  Is it no longer effective after a certain time?

Mark, if you take the frames out of the freezer after the 5 days they are just as susceptible to waxmoth and SHB again. 

Lone

[Anybrew]

Hi Lone, from what I read in the instructions, after you put a tablet in  say a  sealed Wheelie Bin in reacts with moisture in the air and becomes Phosphine gas at temps 25c plus it will take 7 days to totally dissolve into gas at less than 25c 10 days.

They also list a ventilation period of 1-5 days

I was just seeing if anyone else had used it.  I have frozen my combs, thawed them out and now wish to store them to get some freezer space back.

So from what I have read after the oxidation process all BUGS are killed, then prior to usage you air the exposed combs for 1-5 days.

I am just a little unsure

Cheers
Steve

[lilyfrog]

Yes Lone,
they can become susceptible again, but my stickies are around at most 2 weeks out of the hive, but once you kill the eggs off, they go back into hives and save the bees a bit of work. Some commercial guys store excess woodware in a coldroom after freezing, i guess it is how you want to proceed.

But phosphine is not acceptable if you wish to obtain organic certification.

cheers
Mark

[Anybrew]

I am not trying to get any type of certification, I am just trying to save my combs.  I am not a big fan of chemicals at all.  At this time I will seal up my bin and check it regularly for pests, and if the worst happens I will drop a tablet

Cheers
Steve

[bigsting]

put tablet in a cigarette packet or small box to stop the powder from sticking to frames and put the tablet on top  and leave the bin out side the shed its not good to breath those fumes that smell like acetylene

[Anybrew]

Thanks Bigsting, thats a good idea, I'm not to keen on taking up smoking though to get that empty packet lol.
I will put the Bin up the paddock away from everything.
You would need to air the frames before use for a few days wouldn't you?

Cheers
Steve

[bigsting]

yes