The greater wax moth is an insect whose larvae feed on comb. Its reputation as a hive pest is largely misplaced: it is a problem of stored comb rather than of live colonies.

The damage

The larva does not eat wax alone. It seeks out the cocoons, pollen and residues left in old brood comb; this is why dark comb suffers most and clean super comb least.

As it feeds it tunnels through the comb, leaving silk webbing and dark frass. A heavily infested comb collapses into a matted mass and cannot be salvaged.

Where it becomes a problem

• Stored comb: The main scene of the damage
• Weak colonies: Space the bees cannot patrol
• Dead colonies: An abandoned hive is destroyed within weeks
• Warm conditions: Development accelerates markedly with temperature

A strong colony deals with the moth itself: the bees find the larvae and remove them. Seeing wax moth damage in a live colony points to weakness, not to the moth.

Protecting stored comb

• Cold: The safest method. Development stops at low temperatures and freezing kills all stages
• Light and air: Storing frames spaced apart in a bright, airy place makes the moth's work difficult
• Take dark comb out of circulation. It is what the moth wants and what should be rendered anyway
• Do not store comb containing pollen without protection; it is the most attractive of all

What not to do

Chemical fumigants used for stored comb leave residues in wax and, through foundation, re-enter the cycle. Cold storage and good practice avoid the need for them.

Its useful role

In nature the wax moth is a decomposer. It clears old comb from abandoned nests, which prevents disease agents accumulating in cavities that will be reoccupied.

Without it, cavities would fill with old comb carrying spores. The moth is part of the system, not an enemy of it.

Practical summary

Keep colonies strong, renew comb, and store what you remove either cold or in the light. Do those three and the wax moth stops being a problem.