Any scouts at your swarm trap?

[Sutty]

I think it was last year I had a small fist sized clump of bees underneath where I had collected a swarm (queen wasn't with them) which refused to move. I put a few drops of benzaldehyde on a paper towel & put that near them, it prompted them into the air apart from the ones that chose to burrow further under the tree roots instead, but they definitely moved away from it ++. I've often wondered if it would deter a recently arrived swarm & make it "abscond".

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I don't have any unfortunately. It's not the sort of thing I'd ever use normally.

When I've removed a swarm from a tree, I spray some where the cluster was and it does discourage them from returning. Not needed of course if you can lower the whole lot gently into a box with a single snip of if a branch.

 

[jimmiestan]

We had a swarm enter a wee crack in our west Scotland farmhouse gable so within the hour I taped + tied a cardboard box/"skep" onto the wall and spent an hour puffing smoke into a nearby crack/orifice -- out they came, it was my swarm so I hived it again. Many years ago so no varroa then.

 

[The Poot]

Yesterday, I watched a queen hornet fly majestically across the apiary, in a heavy downpour. She went straight into a double nuc bait hive!
Today, I thought I’d take a look inside and found her working on a nest. She clearly thought she was a winner yesterday, so started nesting today.
I felt really mean shutting her out when she flew off to get more pulp…..

 

[Erichalfbee]

Heavens. I'd have loved to have her nesting there. Hornet nests are not big. She really would have been at home. I'd rather a hornet colony than free mongrel bees

 

[The Poot]

Heavens. I'd have loved to have her nesting there. Hornet nests are not big. She really would have been at home. I'd rather a hornet colony than free mongrel bees

I would have been happy to give her a home, but my other half, who reacts really badly to wasp stings, wouldn’t sanction it!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Pity. They really are gentle giants. Last year we had a phenomena and surreal few weeks with hornets. We have Bullace trees at the bottom of the garden and they had masses of fruit which attracted hornets when they were ripe. The hornets were using the hedge alongside the drive as a thoroughfare . There must have been hundreds. You could stand right in the middle of the stream unmolested. I have never seen anything like it. I guess I never will again

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

had a queen hornet come to the bee kit store shelter every day the last week for her breakfast, she must listen out for me, as soon as I start opening up a stack of wet supers, she's in there for a quick sugar hit while I'm shifting stuff around - the nest can't be too far away - I've noticed that something has been nibbling away at some of the old timber uprights of the store, it may well be her again.

 

[Richard]

And again, what I thought was lots of interest for two days in a row but they didn't move in
2nd time that's happened now.
View attachment 20240519_105456.mp4

 

[E&MBees]

Yesterday, I watched a queen hornet fly majestically across the apiary, in a heavy downpour. She went straight into a double nuc bait hive!
Today, I thought I’d take a look inside and found her working on a nest. She clearly thought she was a winner yesterday, so started nesting today.
I felt really mean shutting her out when she flew off to get more pulp…..

One landed on my veil while I was inspecting the bees today. They really are quite big that close to your face.

 

[Moobee]

Two swarm traps out. Not a sniff so far

 

[Richard]

A swarm moved in this evening - On World Bee Day.

 

[JamezF]

My trap at home has been very quiet for a week or so. Then today it has suddenly become very active. One possible reason is that the colony I found queen cells in at the weekend is still thinking about swarming. However, it also looks as though there are bees heading through my orchard in the direction of the nearest village, completely avoiding my apiary, so they may not be mine after all.

James

 

[Matthew Roberts]

Yesterday, I watched a queen hornet fly majestically across the apiary, in a heavy downpour. She went straight into a double nuc bait hive!
Today, I thought I’d take a look inside and found her working on a nest. She clearly thought she was a winner yesterday, so started nesting today.
I felt really mean shutting her out when she flew off to get more pulp…..

Yesterday, I watched a queen hornet fly majestically across the apiary, in a heavy downpour. She went straight into a double nuc bait hive!
Today, I thought I’d take a look inside and found her working on a nest. She clearly thought she was a winner yesterday, so started nesting today.
I felt really mean shutting her out when she flew off to get more pulp…..

Inside my bait hive a couple of days ago. The hornet just sat there looking at me until I found my phone then flew off.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Seems like a bait hive is the ideal home. I think I’ll put an extra one up …. Here’s hoping.

 

[JamezF]

Inside my bait hive a couple of days ago. The hornet just sat there looking at me until I found my phone then flew off.

Hah! Snap!

Had a near-miss with a queen hornet this evening, actually. She nearly took my head off when I went to the bee shed to get some frame runners for some new brood boxes. I added some triangular gussets to the underside of the ridge to strengthen the roof when I reassembled it a while back and she was hiding behind one of those. Not an acceptable place to set up home for the Summer. I persuaded her to leave, but I think I'd best go back tomorrow and check she's not there in the morning.

James

 

[Lolly Bee]

My husband is near sh***ing himself as we seem to have a lot of hornets scooting around at the moment. I'm stunned and amazed at their size and gentleness and wondering where on earth they are setting up a nest and the other half looks like he's training for a marathon he runs away so fast!

 

[Moobee]

I read somewhere that European Hornets can be very aggressive to their Asian cousins. Here’s hoping.

 

[Vanterrier]

I wonder if the European Hornets are extending their range North with climate change? None in Northumberland yet as far as I know...
K

 

[Sutty]

I wonder if the European Hornets are extending their range North with climate change? None in Northumberland yet as far as I know...
K

Sadly they don't seem to have had much impact in the rest of Europe