Asian Hornet - a natural trap for them?

[itma]

Interesting discovery in France ...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33847252
... but not enough just to plant them?

 

[mazzamazda]

I'll be giving those a try, thanks!

 

[OursonAnglaise]

Me too. I saw the article in the paper this morning. Hopefully we can fight back on behalf of the honey bee next year.

In the meantime, I will continue to stun ones that I can catch next to my hive and squash them with my wellies! the ones I don't squash get a nasty jolt and tend to fly off to sulk for a while.

 

[Greggorio]

My part of France I've only seen European hornets thankfully

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

 

[mazzamazda]

Me too. I saw the article in the paper this morning. Hopefully we can fight back on behalf of the honey bee next year.

In the meantime, I will continue to stun ones that I can catch next to my hive and squash them with my wellies! the ones I don't squash get a nasty jolt and tend to fly off to sulk for a while.

Haha, that is exactly what I do, the hornets near me aren't going for the traps yet. I'm not sure if there can be 4000 hornets in the nests here as an hour or so killing them (Kill around 10) and the difference to the attacks on the bees is quite noticeable.

 

[Greggorio]

Planting 4 or 5 plants in each apiary probably wouldn't hurt then

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

 

[boca]

Alien species brought around the world are making disasters to the biodiversity.
What makes you think that taking a plant from North Africa is the solution without thinking twice? What makes you think that it is specific to the asian hornet? What makes you think that it is harmless to the thousands of European bee species (and other insects)?

 

[OursonAnglaise]

From what I understood this morning, is that the head of the botanical gardens in Nantes has identified a plant that the Hornets are attracted to, which happens to be a carnivorous plant.

The university of Tours are trying to identify the exact pheremone(s) that attracts the hornet so that they can create a trap to be commercially released next year.

They are not advocating planting hundreds of plants (yet)..........

 

[OursonAnglaise]

Interesting discovery in France ...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33847252
... but not enough just to plant them?

AS these are pitcher plants, I believe that they need boggy ground to survive. I don't think that boggy ground would be particularly suited to an apiary

 

[itma]

Alien species brought around the world are making disasters to the biodiversity.
What makes you think that taking a plant from North Africa is the solution without thinking twice? What makes you think that it is specific to the asian hornet? What makes you think that it is harmless to the thousands of European bee species (and other insects)?

Please read the linked article so that your comments can be better informed.

Firstly, Massachusetts isn't in North Africa.
The chance discovery in a botanical garden in France of the specificity of its strong attraction for the Asian Hornet is what makes this news.

The head of a botanical garden in Nantes, western France, says the pitcher plant Sarracenia devours Asian hornets - but not European hornets. Nor does it eat bees or wasps.
... The plant can be grown easily in Europe and is not considered a threat to native flora.

As the article indicates

Each Sarracenia plant has up to 15 pitchers, and can attract as many as 50 hornets. But a typical hornet's nest houses 4,000 insects - so the plants by themselves cannot deal with the problem.

and

Mr Perrocheau and an entomologist aim to study the contents of 200 pitchers, hoping to identify the chemical secret of their attraction for Asian hornets.

The intent is to identify the attractant chemicals, which would then potentially be used as potent bait for hornet traps.

Early days yet.

 

[BeeJayBee]

We've tried, several times, to grow pitcher plants around our pond - following the cultivation instructions. None survived the winter. So let's hope the pheromone research comes up with something useful.

 

[midnight sun]

Used to keep these Sarracenia in a large pot stood in a shallow dish to keep the compost wet enough. They survived well up north near me so seems like a possible winner should we get the Asian hornet.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Hmm, there must be a knack to overwintering them. It might be worth trying again.

 

[midnight sun]

Hmm, there must be a knack to overwintering them. It might be worth trying again.

Cover in ploythene bag and let the compost 'dry' out a bit so it doesn't freeze solid. Lift the whole lot off the floor so the frost doesn't get to it on the ground.
Purporea are a hardy species but I do not know if they will attract just the Asian hornet as much in preference to the bees. No way of trying it here.....yet!
Perhaps one of our continental cousins may care to experiment.

 

[Torq]

We've tried, several times, to grow pitcher plants around our pond - following the cultivation instructions. None survived the winter. So let's hope the pheromone research comes up with something useful.

My office just outside of Boston in Mass is often inaccessible due to the snow they get during the New England winter. A little bit of Western European winter should be no problem to them.

 

[BeeJayBee]

My office just outside of Boston in Mass is often inaccessible due to the snow they get during the New England winter. A little bit of Western European winter should be no problem to them.

Do you get these pitcher plants growing in that area?

Cover in ploythene bag and let the compost 'dry' out a bit so it doesn't freeze solid. Lift the whole lot off the floor so the frost doesn't get to it on the ground.

The plants we bought were meant to be marginals - growing in shallow water around the edge of, but in, the pond. They were meant to be perennials but died over winter, I have no real idea why.

 

[midnight sun]

Do you get these pitcher plants growing in that area?

The plants we bought were meant to be marginals - growing in shallow water around the edge of, but in, the pond. They were meant to be perennials but died over winter, I have no real idea why.

I grew them in a 'bog' garden raised off the floor so frost wouldn't be too harsh. They grew in 'sodden' compost not actually 'in water', (like Venus fly traps are often sold). During winter they don't stand in water as it freezes and damages the roots sometimes. The polythene was to keep the 'warmth' in and the frost out. Also it stopped the compost drying out too much. Many bog plants winter in less water logged compost as the places they originate from often have cold but 'dry' winters. That's about all I know if it's any help. I was successful till I got rid of them by choice for space. By the way you know not to feed these type of plants under any circumstances I assume. Regards Dave

 

[BeeJayBee]

Thanks. The 'marginal' bit of our pond was possibly the problem because, although the gravel around the pond sits higher than the the top of the pond itself, there's always water below it. Maybe we'll try again next year, in a different part of the garden where it's damp all year rather than wet.

 

[midnight sun]

Thanks. The 'marginal' bit of our pond was possibly the problem because, although the gravel around the pond sits higher than the the top of the pond itself, there's always water below it. Maybe we'll try again next year, in a different part of the garden where it's damp all year rather than wet.

Hi BeeJayBee, yes, sounds about right. The plants roots are design to be wet or 'sodden' but not meant to reside under the water. That type of root is reserved for proper water plants (eg lilies etc)
Looks like you have found your answer. If you replant them next year I suggest a part that is shielded from harsh winter conditions if possible. Good luck.
Regards Dave

 

[Swarm]

Simply have a pond with an area that soaks up overspill. I did this with one liner to cover the lot so the finished job was a bog right alongside and being fed by the pond. The important part to remember with any of these plants is sphagnum moss peat, soil is no good but you can add some horticultural sand or grit. Their roots will be warm enough in wet peat, warmer than in a pot and you can always cover to protect if there is excess snow.
Place stones between the bog and the pond to stop the peat leaching into the pond and build the bog level higher than the water level in the adjoining pond, that way the Sarracenias are standing in moist peat and not in a pool but make it deep enough so it never dries out. For alround performance, I thought S. Flava stood out (and we created many hybrids, me and my brother had quite a thing for these) but if you can manage to grow a Darlingtonia cobra lily to a decent size they are not bad either but they look amazing.