What food source preference dictates where larvae cause significant damage in stored supers?
Answer
Older, darker comb that has contained brood or pollen
The larvae of the wax moth exhibit a clear preference for comb that has served as brood rearing sites or has stored pollen, rather than brand new, light foundation. This preference is rooted in the nutritional content of the older materials; this darker comb is loaded with impurities, residual protein, and organic matter that the larvae require for robust development and accelerated lifecycles. Therefore, beekeepers who store their heavier, used brood boxes—the very boxes rich in these larval nutrients—are inadvertently constructing the most optimal artificial breeding ground for the pest.
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