So I'm planing on working bees tomorrow and went out to weed eat around my few surviving colonys. I didn't keep up with them last year and had large winter losses as well. went frome 23 to 4 and last time I worked the was down to 3. Went and weed ate around some of the hives I have done nothing with and going to loose my way to wax moths I'd I don't get on it and found some good surprises.

a swarm trap left up from last year( I have not put any out this year) has a swarm in it and 2 hives I had out with dead outs have had swarms move into them..

So it looks like instead of 3 colonys like I thought I have 6. if I have time I will get more swarm traps put out and may need to make a few splits. may get my numbers up a little if I keep not working my days off.. The time off sure is nice but the small checks sure are a change. from 72 to 96 hrs a week to 36 2 weeks and 2 48s a month is a huge change.

How hard is it to harvest the wax moth larvae out of the hives? They are one of my favorite baits.

Keith

I don't know. My first time dealing with them at all is a hive I had die last year or over winter that was full of the cocoon type little sacks an nothing seemed alive when I looked at it but may be part of the development. I really un familiar with them and only confirmed what they were by sending big black bird a picture.