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Backyard beekeeping

Honey bee hive pests

Three pests cause most of the trouble in backyard hives: Varroa mites, which feed on the bees themselves and spread viruses, and wax moths and small hive beetles, whose larvae damage comb in weak colonies and in storage.[1][2][4]

The short answer

  • Check Varroa mite levels every month with an alcohol wash and treat when counts call for it, because an unmonitored infestation can kill a colony.[1]
  • Keep colonies strong and protect stored comb, which guards against both wax moths and small hive beetles.[3][4]

Hive pest profiles

Honey bee on goldenrod with a reddish-brown Varroa mite riding on its body Varroa Mite Varroa destructor The Varroa mite is the most damaging pest of honey bees: it feeds on adult bees and developing brood, weakens the colony and spreads viruses, and an unmonitored infestation can kill the hive. Adult greater wax moth, mottled gray-brown, resting on weathered wood Wax Moths Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth) and Achroia grisella (lesser wax moth) Wax moths, the greater wax moth and the lesser wax moth, are pests of honey bee colonies whose caterpillars tunnel through beeswax comb, leaving silk webbing and droppings; they mostly ruin stored combs and weak colonies. Small hive beetle, an oval dark brown beetle, on honeycomb Small Hive Beetle Aethina tumida The small hive beetle is an invasive beetle from sub-Saharan Africa whose larvae damage honey bee colonies and stored combs.

Varroa mites, the most serious threat

Varroa mites are the most damaging pest of honey bees: they feed on adult bees and developing brood, weaken the colony and spread deformed wing virus.[1]

  • By the time mites are easy to see on bees, levels are often already high, so check monthly with an alcohol wash using rubbing alcohol or soapy water.[1]

Wax moths and small hive beetles in the comb

Wax moth larvae tunnel through comb and leave silk webbing, mostly in weak colonies and stored frames; the greater wax moth does most of the damage to stored combs and woodenware.[2][3]

  • Small hive beetles are invasive beetles from sub-Saharan Africa whose larvae damage honey bee colonies and stored combs.[4]
  • Young wax moth larvae are often confused with small hive beetle larvae; Mississippi State compares the two side by side.[2]

Prevention that covers all three

Strong, healthy, queenright colonies are the best defense against wax moths and small hive beetles.[3][4]

  • Freeze stored combs to kill wax moths, and freeze frames with beetle eggs or larvae for at least 48 hours; then store comb in sealed, moth-proof containers.[2][4]
  • Keep the apiary clean of abandoned combs and equipment from dead colonies.[4]

Common questions

What is the most serious pest of honey bees?
Varroa mites: they feed on bees and brood and spread viruses, and an unchecked infestation can kill the colony.[1]
What are the worms in my stored bee frames?
Silk webbing and tunnels point to wax moth larvae; small hive beetle larvae also damage stored comb, and the two are easy to confuse.[2][4]

Photo credits

Sources

  1. Delaware Department of Agriculture, “Varroa Mites (June 2023).” agriculture.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/108/2023/06/Varroa-Mites_Final_6.12.23.pdf (accessed 2026-10-17)
  2. Mississippi State University Extension, “Wax Moths, Greater and Lesser (Publication 3195).” extension.msstate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/P3195_web.pdf (accessed 2026-10-17)
  3. UF/IFAS Extension (EDIS), “Wax Moth Control (AA141, C. J. Jack and J. D. Ellis, 2018).” edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/AA141 (accessed 2026-10-17)
  4. Oregon State University Extension, “The Small Hive Beetle: A Potential Pest in Honey Bee Colonies in Oregon (EM 9143).” extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/em-9143-small-hive-beetle-potential-pest-honey-bee-colonies-oregon (accessed 2026-10-16)

Updated 2026-10-17. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.