# question about Bacillus thuringiensis Thuricide



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

> I bought Bacillus thuringiensis Thuricide

Bt comes in several different specific varieties. Thuricide appears to be a brand name for one manufacturer's product, using the variety Bacillus thuringiensis v. *kurstaki.
*http://www.villacrop.co.za/products/docs/Thuricide WP_Villa_MSDS.pdf

The Bt variety that is known to work for wax moth control is Bacillus thuringiensis, v. *aizawai.
*http://www.valent.com/Data/Labels/BIO-0023Rev2 XenTari MSDS.pdf

I am not an expert on Bt, but it would appear that Thuricide is not the right choice for beekeeping wax moth control.

More on the aizawai variety here:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?225796-Agree-WG-Bt-Aizawai-Powder
If you are interested in contacting Beesource member _Sundance _offering Bta, see the last page of the thread.


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## John D. (Sep 5, 2007)

I bought some Bt aizawai from Sundance some years ago & sprayed it on harvested supers that the bees had cleaned up. The first time I sprayed the supers and laid them out to dry near dusk there must have been dozens of moths of all shapes & sizes show up & walk all over those supers. I thought to myself that if this stuff is going to work after this exposure then I'm a believer. Never had a problem then or ever.


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## Sami Kassoum (Jun 23, 2012)

John D. said:


> I bought some Bt aizawai from Sundance some years ago & sprayed it on harvested supers that the bees had cleaned up. The first time I sprayed the supers and laid them out to dry near dusk there must have been dozens of moths of all shapes & sizes show up & walk all over those supers. I thought to myself that if this stuff is going to work after this exposure then I'm a believer. Never had a problem then or ever.


Hi John,
you mean you have seen the moths running out of your supers after you have spryed them. great that it works for you.
but I am looking for someone who tryed the "Thuricide" to till me if it works?
here in Israel we have very warm nights and the moths realy like our weather so they fligh toward beehives
attracted to scent of the honey.
so i really have to find a solution for that proplem.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

I also believe you have the wrong type of BT, you might be able to find the product fact sheet on the internet. The paper should tell what insect larva's it kills.


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## John D. (Sep 5, 2007)

The supers were laying on their sides drying out. The Bt does not kill the moths that landed on the supers but will kill any larvae that have hatched in the supers. I also believe you have the wrong type of Bt for wax moths. The Bt you have may be good for spraying around the hive for hive beetle larvae.


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

Thuricide works real good! When a wax worm hatches and starts to eat on your comb he will only go just a little short way and die.The bees will fix that small hole as good as new and it does not harm bees or humans!!! I have sprayed all my old combs and not have had any more SHB larvae slimeing any hives.I dont know if I am just lucky or if Bt helps kill off those larvae as well.Has anyone else noticed this???


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Here's a link to a useful reference published by Cornell's Entomology department discussing Bt varieties:

http://www.biocontrol.entomology.cornell.edu/pathogens/bacteria.html

There is more extensive information at that link, but here is a synopsis:



> Some commercially available Bt varieties and target pests:
> 
> _Bacillus thuringiensis_
> var. _tenebrionis_ - Colorado potato beetle and elm leaf beetle larvae
> ...


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## snapper1d (Apr 8, 2011)

Well I have used Thuricide for over 20 years and it really works for me so I will continue to use it.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Bacillus - copy and paste from old BS posting

There are different strains (varieties) of Bt available that have been selected to control different specific insects. Bt-kurstaki (BTK) controls the European corn borer, tomato hornworms, fruit worms, cabbageworm, cabbage looper, spring and fall cankerworm, spruce budworm, and other caterpillar-like larvae. Bt-san diego (BTSD) controls early larvae of the Colorado potato beetle. Bt-israelensis (BTI) controls mosquitoes, black flies and fungus gnats.

Bacillus thuringiensis -aizawai is used exclusively for the control of wax moth larvae.

Thuricide is Bt-kurstaki, so it is the wrong strain. It is also in an emulifised pertrolium oil that you should NOT put on your comb.


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## Sami Kassoum (Jun 23, 2012)

thank you all for you'r advise.
yesterday i bought Certan/B401 on eBay from Germany.
now I understand the differences between the varieties of this bacteria.


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