Beekeeping Shorts - Catching A Wax Moth Larva

Wax moth larva can cause huge damage in a hive. Here we see Chris opening up a wax moth larva tunnel and catching the little devil before it can do any more damage. The technique is to open up the tunnel and then tap on the side of the frame to create vibrations. The larva then sticks it’s head up and you can catch it. The birds were then very grateful as they had this one for dinner.
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[@rodneymiddleton9624]

That hive looks strong. I am surprised it got in there. Thanks!

[@AgusAgusmuarif-hy3zf]

very cool, my boss 👍❤❤❤❤

[@lemongrab6173]

I actually want both. Wax worms are apparently more profitable than the honey.

[@mapache_del_sur]

You won’t want that in your hives. They destroy everything and make a huge mess, and stress out the bees. If you want to harvest wax moths, you’ll definitely want them separate from your colonies.

[@lemongrab6173]

@@mapache_del_sur yes I know that. I intended to capture them using an old abandoned colony. Which was quite successful thus far. And I’ve even made more profit from the pests ... quite ironically. Honey is great but competition is high. It’s reached a point where only veteran bee keepers can make profit and have monopolized it by crashing the market. So I’ve decided to keep the honey for the family. Barely selling any of it anymore and most buyers are locals who know me in person. The wax worms on the other hand I fully intend to monopolize it. Demand is high and there’s 0 competitors.

[@mapache_del_sur]

@@lemongrab6173 that’s interesting. I personally hate wax moths, so even though there may be money to be had, I have no interest in the things. In my experience in central Texas, if you have honey it will sell. No chance it will not sell. My wife works at a grooming place for dogs, and the owner lets us put the honey there for sale and it always goes. People want the raw, local honey here. But we probably produce like 200 pounds, not some insane amount, and our expectations are pretty low. We have to make sure to keep some back and not sell it all so we can give it to friends and family. We do it on the side, not to try to survive on.

[@mapache_del_sur]

@@lemongrab6173 btw, I didn’t mean to poopoo on your wax moths. I think it’s cool that you harvest them. If they didn’t mess my bees up, I would probably like it too, I am just biased. I always thought it would be cool to raise crickets and worms for exotic pet stores. But apparently crickets are a huge mess and stink. If I had the space I would do it. I like all insects, really. I just dislike wax moths in the specific context of invading my colonies

[@lemongrab6173]

@@mapache_del_sur wax moth breeding is simple easy and profitable, same for seed shrimps and mealworms. I’ve actually made more money off of animal feed than the animals that consume them. If you have the space for it I’d highly recommend it especially if you know that market demand is high and low competition. These things are pests to most but a gold mine for those who know how to market them. The biggest challenge for me at first was finding buyers. I figured out the trick for it because I was desperately looking to buy some for my exotic pets originally and found others who were looking for the same thing on the way. That’s how I managed to find customers for it.

[@DavidFrat123]

What was the giveaway that made you spot it?

[@cotswoldbees]

You can just see the silk like covering to the wax moth lava tunnel. It’s the pale looking top to a couple of the cells in the video.

[@DavidFrat123]

@@cotswoldbees thanks

[@mapache_del_sur]

@@cotswoldbeesinteresting. Something to look out for.

[@hamidvsBee]

my english is bad can you give me a better explain what happend?

[@mapache_del_sur]

They’re the worst. I hate wax moths.