wax moth

[colbees]

Hi everyone I went into my hive today and saw a wax moth on my inner cover I don't know what to do is there something that I can do to kill them

[yockey5]

A strong colony will keep them under control.

[Hemlock]

Check to see if the bees have the right amount of space for their population.  Too much empty space can lead to an infestation of wax moths and other nasties.  There may always be wax moths present in a hive, in very low numbers.  A healthy & strong colony will take care of the pest themselves.  One moth or larva isn't critical in a strong hive.

[AllenF]

Smash them when you see them.  And keep a strong hive.

[Cossack]

Good Luck! They are evil little creatures.

[Richard]

The following link is a good article from beeworks.com on preventing wax moths in the hive and an easy trap to use.  I setup the 2 liter bottle trap as described and the concoction does lure the wax moth and bald face hornet to their death. 

http://www.beeworks.com/informationcentre/wax_moth.html

Richard

[Intheswamp]

I like to use my finger...just a little SMUSH! 

They will completely, absolutely, positively destroy a hive.  What folks are saying about not leaving too much territory for the bees to guard and patrol.  I find a couple usually when I go through my three hives...they're normally on top of the inner covers or actually on the outside of the hive bodies.  I mash'em when I see 'em.  They are naturally going to be attracted to bee hives so seeing them shouldn't create panic or anxiety but should reinforce the understanding that we need to be diligent in watching and managing our bees.  Wax moth can hit quick, though, in my experience I lost the hive over a two week span between inspections.

Ed