Asian Hornet APP

[Erichalfbee]

Is he

The person behind it is on this forum

Is he? might he join the conversation?

 

[OldFarm]

or just the need to be the centre of attention


by the chatter I'm picking up - not very impressed at all

I have spoken with him several times. He is very generous with his time, shares material he has produced without hesitation, has managed to get some financial backing for his ideas and put in an enormous amount of effort into AH detection last year. I'm giving him 10/10 for effort.

When this tool was being built (last year) the NBU were being very cagey about AH sighting locations. Beeks with apiaries close to AH nests were not notified, and on one occasion the police were called when a beek was told to take down his AH traps and refused. At the BBKA AH meeting on 17 Feb we were told that the NBU now they are now prepared to notify beeks within 3km of a confirmed sighting.

 

[Murox]

At the BBKA AH meeting on 17 Feb we were told that the NBU now they are now prepared to notify beeks within 3km of a confirmed sighting.

So what is the "hunting"range of AH??

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

At the BBKA AH meeting on 17 Feb we were told that the NBU now they are now prepared to notify beeks within 3km of a confirmed sighting.

usually because in the past their efforts at locating nests have been hampered by the 'well intentioned' tramping over the countryside getting in the way.

 

[Karol]

I have spoken with him several times. He is very generous with his time, shares material he has produced without hesitation, has managed to get some financial backing for his ideas and put in an enormous amount of effort into AH detection last year. I'm giving him 10/10 for effort.

When this tool was being built (last year) the NBU were being very cagey about AH sighting locations.

Rightly so.

Beeks with apiaries close to AH nests were not notified, and on one occasion the police were called when a beek was told to take down his AH traps and refused.

As they should have been. This comes down to an understanding of early population dynamics and behaviour in eusocial wasps. Once a bait station has been detected by velutina, I would suggest all other proximal bait stations need to be removed. This will concentrate the number of foragers coming to the bait station and reduce risk of dilution across a number of stations. Concentrating foragers through the process of nest recruitment vastly increases the success of triangulating foragers back to their nest for early nest eradication. As for AH traps they simply help hide the location of nests because caught foragers can't be tracked back so their nests can't be located for destruction. The reticent beek clearly didn't understand or appreciate the expertise of the NBU who have done a magnificent job and who need to be heeded.

At the BBKA AH meeting on 17 Feb we were told that the NBU now they are now prepared to notify beeks within 3km of a confirmed sighting.

By the same token beeks need to be prepared to follow the advice of the NBU in return for the privilege of receiving notifications.

 

[fian]

Everything is very nice, except that if the hives die, who will compensate the beekeeper?

 

[polomadh]

Why will your hives die? It’s unlikely at this stage that the numbers of AH nests in the UK will kill off the hives like they “might” be doing in France. Lots and lots of talk of mussles and electronic harps etc but surely the cheapest and best defence against AH at this stage is to have contingency plan to move your hives more than 1km away, out of the reach of the foraging AH until such a time as the nest is destroyed.
For all AH nests in Dover last year there were no reports of hawking of hives.

 

[Karol]

Everything is very nice, except that if the hives die, who will compensate the beekeeper?

Who is compensating French and Spanish beekeepers?

 

[fian]

Who is compensating French and Spanish beekeepers?

Nobody, but at least they don't prohibit you from defending them, which is what the NBU has done with that beekeeper.
Regarding the possible transfer of the apiary:
A. He will lose many forages because it is known that they will go to the previous location and just when he needs them most, he must raise the wintering generation.
B. You must have the space to do it, perhaps if the NBU included temporary apiaries with additional protection to which to carry out the transfer safely, the beekeeper would not perceive that he is the "fool" of the program.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Nobody, but at least they don't prohibit you from defending them, which is what the NBU has done with that beekeeper.

but there was nothing there to 'defend' against. You still don't seem to have grasped that we are not overrun by velutina here - just a few isolated immature nests have appeared. What this beekeeper was actually doing was making it harder for the NBU to detect the nests and so helping Velutina to become established in England rather than preventing them. A totally short sighted and selfish action as well as a technically unlawful one.

 

[OldFarm]

So what is the "hunting"range of AH??

Usually under 1km

 

[OldFarm]

usually because in the past their efforts at locating nests have been hampered by the 'well intentioned' tramping over the countryside getting in the way.

I have to disagree. If beeks know there are AHs in the area the first reaction will be putting out traps and frequent checking of the apiary and traps. Then paying attention to direction of flight, maybe setting up more traps to start triangulation. Perhaps some of them will be mixing up a little custard treat. But I can't see any of them "tramping" over the countryside. Most of us simply don't have the PPE needed if you're going to get close to a nest. In Jersey they were the BBWear 5mm suit, with an under-tunic made of the same material, rubberised gloves and eye protection are also needed.

 

[fian]

Usually under 1km

On average, yes, but greater distances cannot be ruled out if there is not enough food. If bees have a radius of action of 2/4 km, nothing prevents a velutina from having a similar territory of action.

 

[Amaranth]

Triangulation needs to be done with bait stations where hornets can come and go freely, NOT traps. Traps hinder tracking of nests. This a common problem, using the terms interchangeable. Bait stations and traps are two different things,

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If beeks know there are AHs in the area the first reaction will be putting out traps

exactly - thus hampering tracking efforts as in the case of

on one occasion the police were called when a beek was told to take down his AH traps and refused. .

It's amazing how many people think they know better than the experts

 

[The Poot]

It’s a shame the “experts” haven’t communicated with the BBKA of the way forward.
What to do in March….
“………can help catch foundress queens”

 

[Karol]

I have to disagree.

Apart from personal opinion what qualifies you to undermine the recommendations of the NBU?

If beeks know there are AHs in the area the first reaction will be putting out traps and frequent checking of the apiary and traps.

Wherein lies the problem. How precisely can one triangulate dead or exhausted captured hornets?

Then paying attention to direction of flight, maybe setting up more traps to start triangulation.

The two mutually exclude each other. Time to engage brain a little perhaps?

Perhaps some of them will be mixing up a little custard treat.

Definitely the wrong thing to do in the UK presently. FC is the correct tool for exterminating established infestations such as those on the continent. We are NOT in that position in the UK and anyone using FC in the UK is nothing short of irresponsible.

But I can't see any of them "tramping" over the countryside. Most of us simply don't have the PPE needed if you're going to get close to a nest. In Jersey they were the BBWear 5mm suit, with an under-tunic made of the same material, rubberised gloves and eye protection are also needed.

Who said anything about nest eradication? Imagine 50 naive well wishers posting sightings within a 5 miles diameter each of which will suck up valuable NBU time and resource deflecting from timely nest eradication.

 

[OldFarm]

Apart from personal opinion what qualifies you to undermine the recommendations of the NBU?

Wherein lies the problem. How precisely can one triangulate dead or exhausted captured hornets?

The two mutually exclude each other. Time to engage brain a little perhaps?

Definitely the wrong thing to do in the UK presently. FC is the correct tool for exterminating established infestations such as those on the continent. We are NOT in that position in the UK and anyone using FC in the UK is nothing short of irresponsible.

Who said anything about nest eradication? Imagine 50 naive well wishers posting sightings within a 5 miles diameter each of which will suck up valuable NBU time and resource deflecting from timely nest eradication.

There is still a great deal that is not known about AHs, advise changes as knowledge grows and I have as much right to an opinion as the next person.

Sadly most beekeepers are taking the view that AHs are "not in my apiary, it's nothing to do with me". There is a lack of understanding of the difference between a monitor and a trap and the importance of protecting native insects by first minimising bycatch and releasing any swiftly simply hasn't sunk in. That some trap producers are claiming there will be no bycatch doesn't help, because all traps will have bycatch.

My comment about FC is just reflecting background chatter I have observed. I have raised questions with both the BBKA and the NBU about FC and the only response has been eye rolling hard enough to cause whiplash.

 

[Dodge]

It’s a shame the “experts” haven’t communicated with the BBKA of the way forward.
What to do in March….
“………can help catch foundress queens”
View attachment 39064

It’s a shame the “experts” haven’t communicated with the BBKA of the way forward.
What to do in March….
“………can help catch foundress queens”
View attachment 39064

The subtly is in the wording and timing The magazine is suggesting trapping queens in March. These queens will have recently emerged and each one trapped is potentially one less nest to deal with.

The experts are talking about eradicating already established nests where workers are present so a different approach as advocated by the NBU needs to be followed.

 

[Karol]

There is still a great deal that is not known about AHs, advise changes as knowledge grows and I have as much right to an opinion as the next person.

Of course you have the right to an opinion. But if you voice your opinion on the forum you must accept the right of others to challenge it and challenge its credentials.

Sadly most beekeepers are taking the view that AHs are "not in my apiary, it's nothing to do with me".

Not an unhealthy approach given that velutina is not established in the UK. So long as beekeepers look after their hives in their normal diligent manner then the arrival of velutina will make itself clearly known in good time to take appropriate action. In those areas where there have been out breaks then additional monitoring is a prudent step.

There is a lack of understanding of the difference between a monitor and a trap and the importance of protecting native insects by first minimising bycatch and releasing any swiftly simply hasn't sunk in. That some trap producers are claiming there will be no bycatch doesn't help, because all traps will have bycatch.

Precisely the argument for using wick based bait stations as so eloquently posted by Erichalfbee. Dispense with traps altogether.

My comment about FC is just reflecting background chatter I have observed. I have raised questions with both the BBKA and the NBU about FC and the only response has been eye rolling hard enough to cause whiplash.

I'm surprised you even raised the subject with them. FC is not appropriate for the UK and has never been suggested as such because we have no established infestation.