Hi guys,
I found this in the inspection board.
Do you know what is it?
Thank you,
Most likely a wax moth larva. They are always in hives, and providing that the hive is strong, the bees stop them from causing havoc. 
You don’t need to do any more than keep the hive strong.
You are in Italy, so it is unlikely to be a small hive beetle larva, but that would be the other possibility in other countries. To tell the difference, we would need a closer picture with more light. 
3 Likes
Thank you for your super fast reply 
I got the bees last Saturday so I’m quite excited, I really would like to check the frames every day!
I got two hives, one Flow and one standard, just to compare them.
The one in the Flow is a little slow because they are still building the cells, it was a sworm.
Another weird thing, I put one feeder in each hive. The bees of the Flow are not eating at all.
I have chickens running near the hives. Does this help against beetles?
Many thanks!
1 Like
As of 2016, there were no small hive beetles (SHB) in Europe at all. Perhaps @Dee has some more up to date information on this. Chickens won’t hurt, but they won’t help with wax moth, as the larvae pupate inside the hive, unlike SHB which pupate in the ground near the hive.
Beautiful bee garden you have there. I am sure that your bees will be very happy. 
Edit: Just found another article which said there were SHB in Italy in 2014. In that case, the chickens may help, but you will want to stay vigilant during inspections - squash any beetles you see in the hive, as each female can lay at least 200 eggs. Don’t leave dead bees in the hive or on the ground near the hive. Don’t throw burr comb onto the ground. Consider beetle traps in the hive if you can’t control them with these methods.
2 Likes
I have had a long look at the larvae and I suspect it is a wax moth, Look for a white moth during your weekly hive inspections as well as for a black beetle up to about 1/3 the length of a worker bee and is almost round, that is a hive beetle and should be squashed, as can the odd wax moth. If the hive beetle population exploded they can be eliminated by baits or by traps.
Don’t overdo your hive inspections, it is recommended to be done every 7 to 10 days, but you also need to know what you are looking at when doing the inspection, what is normal and what in not.
Regards
1 Like
Thank you Peter!
I will carefully check for white moth and black beetles during my next inspection.
Have a good day!
2 Likes
Luca. Wax moth are common on the rubbish on your corflute tray. More commonly mesh floors are left open so nothing collects on them. Northern Italy doesn’t have SHB so there is no reason for you to keep that tray in.
1 Like
is that a pubilc laneway beside that fence? If so- you might consider either putting some shadecloth or growing a creeper plant there so that people passing by, or those living on the other side cannot see those hives. Ignorance is Blissful. You don’t want some nosy and zealous person having cause to create issues. Sometimes in summer bees are attracted to lights at night- and if you block that area the bees may not see the windows opposite and be attracted to them.
also- although they look OK- did you carefully use a spirit level to ensure both hives are perfectly level? The bees build comb via gravity and the hive must be perfectly level side to side otherwise the combs will not be perfectly drawn out. Even a few degrees off can cause issues. Front to back is not so important.
1 Like
Thank you Dee 
I keep the tray in to check varroa mites. It also gives some indications on how and where the bees are working.
1 Like
I wasn’t sure about SHB in Italy whether it has gotten there. Guess they are lucky, I find and squash each inspection but have baits handy if they get to be a problem.
Hi Semaphore, thank for your message.
Actually that is all my property. Down there I keep my 4 dogs
The hives are perfectly levelled, I did use the spirit level.
Thank you!
1 Like
It seems you are a very lucky man Luca- I wish I could have 4 dogs! Two cats is all I can manage… I bet you have at least one of them too… 
1 Like
They are in Italy. In the south.
I could imagine cats giving those dogs a wide berth. I think cats would be considered “fair game” in the eyes of those dogs.
Beautiful looking dogs…
2 Likes