What minimum temperature is required for effective heat treatment of infested combs?
Answer
Above $120^ ext{F}$ or $49^ ext{C}$
Heat treatment provides a viable alternative to freezing temperatures for controlling wax moth infestations within stored beeswax comb, like old drawn frames or supers. To ensure comprehensive mortality for all life cycle stages, including the resilient eggs and pupae sheltered inside cocoons, the material must be subjected to sustained high temperatures. The established threshold for achieving this mortality rate is exposure to temperatures consistently above $120^ ext{F}$ (or $49^ ext{C}$). This thermal exposure effectively eliminates the pests, offering beekeepers a control method that can be implemented when deep freezing is impractical.
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