The vedalia beetle literally saved the California citrus industry, and since the California success, it has been exported to many other parts of the world, often with equally successful results Because they have been relatively inexpensive and effective, the beekeeping industry has used pesticides to control many insects and mites that are associated with honey bees. As these chemicals have undergone more and more scrutiny, however, many have fallen by the wayside while others are also at risk of losing their label. The wax moth is a large problem in many areas, especially in hot climates in empty supers that are stored for any period. Traditionally, several chemicals have been used to fumigate empty supers. Only the latter can be used on comb that contains honey, but it is dangerous, difficult to handle and costly.
Some beekeepers use cold rooms to store empty supers.
A few years back, a biological control was found for wax moth. This was a specific strain of bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis that proved deadly to wax moth larvae. Other strains of B. thuringiensis, often just called BT , are available for other lepidopteran pests, but are less effective on wax moths. Another biological control against wax moth is a tiny parasitic wasp called Trichogramma. According to Mr. Bollhalder, five batches of Trichogramma were released at 3-week intervals in 12 comb stores owned by Swiss beekeepers from the beginning of June to the end of August.