Besides visual inspection, what physical property might warn of severe wax moth damage in stored supers?

Answer

The stack seems unusually light or flimsy

Severe wax moth infestations in stored beekeeping equipment, such as empty supers or drawn combs, can result in catastrophic structural failure of the beeswax. When larvae have consumed large quantities of the wax foundation and comb structure, the remaining material consists primarily of silken webbing and debris. This consumption drastically reduces the weight and density of the frame assembly. Therefore, a crucial, though non-visual, warning sign during handling is noticing that a stack of supers feels unusually light or structurally flimsy when compared to similar, unaffected equipment. This altered physical characteristic serves as an early indicator of significant material integrity loss due to pest activity.

Besides visual inspection, what physical property might warn of severe wax moth damage in stored supers?

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