Asian Hornet APP

[elainemary]

All we need is a lot of wind blown queens (the French are basically giving up) and a few overwintered queens and the NBU will be overwhelmed. In my view.
Talk of 2023 being a blip is - in my opinion - wrong.
France had a blip.
Jersey had a blip.
England had a blip.
Belgium had a blip.

That to me looks like a trend..

(For an example of what waiting and seeing does, see UK policy on small boats)

I meant in the context of setting our own budgets and priorities. Eg perhaps there will be more flexibility if there is good learning and a budget case for DEFRA / other govt departments to give more funding.

Understand the wind blown hornet issues. This can change year to year as previously highlighted by others.

Problem with forum postings - sometimes done in a rush - can misunderstand the posters intentions

 

[JohnRB]

If the advice is not to try Spring queen trapping, can anyone explain the perceived disadvantages? If you use a trap designed to release most bycatch, I can't see any bad side

 

[JohnRB]

If the advice is not to try Spring queen trapping, can anyone explain the perceived disadvantages? If you use a trap designed to release most bycatch, I can't see any bad side

Just seen the post about taking out European hornets and thus reducing competition for ah. Is that it?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just seen the post about taking out European hornets and thus reducing competition for ah. Is that it?

more or less - and not just Crabro, countless other insects will get caught

 

[OldFarm]

If the advice is not to try Spring queen trapping, can anyone explain the perceived disadvantages? If you use a trap designed to release most bycatch, I can't see any bad side

There will be bycatch with all traps, some more than others. All need to be monitored and bycatch released.

 

[Buzby]

more or less - and not just Crabro, countless other insects will get caught

But not in selective traps such as the Jadeprobe

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’m going to wait till I see any and for what the NBU recommends. I think you and me, Emyr are safe for a while in Wales
I might put a wick monitoring trap out. Maybe.

 

[Karol]

But not in selective traps such as the Jadeprobe

Tosh!

The only time that Jadeprobe is selective is when indigenous vespines have already been wiped out.

Aperture size wise the trap might intend to preferentially retain velutina and intend to preferentially release indigenous vespines but in practice that just isn't the case. Why? Because this ignores what happens in reality. Any indigenous vespine which enters the trap full of velutina will be killed by the velutina trapped within the trap. Ergo, velutina traps cause catastrophic damage to native species especially if used in spring.

I will re-iterate what I have said before. Not for my benefit but for the benefit of honeybees, beekeepers and the natural fauna of the UK - spring trapping for velutina in the UK is nothing short of crass stupidity because it will only serve to increase the chances of velutina becoming established in the UK.

Follow the current NBU advice which is to monitor (using bait stations) and report any sightings for track trace and destruction by the NBU. It really isn't that difficult.

 

[JohnRB]

at seventy quid a pop - the only thing I see getting caught is the easily gulled

So, I can 3d print the ends for about 60p an end. I can use a tupperware box (or similar) for <£10 or make one free from correx instead of what looks like a shrunken nuc and have the same thing..

If it doubled as a nuc, then it might be worth £35?

But then I don't have the overheads of a commercial organisation.

 

[JohnRB]

Richard Noel raised an interesting point on facebook last night along the lines that they don't worry too much about a bit of bycatch. Every queen you don't trap can form a colony that will consume 11kg of insects a year. Any bycatch is insignificant compared to this.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Richard Noel raised an interesting point on facebook last night along the lines that they don't worry too much about a bit of bycatch. Every queen you don't trap can form a colony that will consume 11kg of insects a year. Any bycatch is insignificant compared to this.

difference being - Velutina are well established in France and the damage to the indigenous insects has been done. Over here, by wiping out Velutina's competitors (your 'unimportant' bycatch) you are making it easier for Vv to get establisged as you are wiping out their competitors for food

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

At least we have a mast across the valley and decent 4G

My new phone is 5G enabled.
It came with a free tinfoil helmet

Pity really that mobile phone connectivity is non existent in this area

 

[Murox]

My new phone is 5G enabled.
It came with a free tinfoil helmet

Pity really that mobile phone connectivity is non existent in this area

I have been asking about 5G in my area for over 2 years, which is more or less when 4G finally arrived. The response is always 3-6months. Now of course they are removing 3G so a LOT OF PEOPLE will have reduced service until it actually happens and have a new 5G enabled phone

 

[Erichalfbee]

Now of course they are removing 3G

Yes. Got notice of that one.
We have a fibre cable running along the B4342 a hundred yards away. So tantalisingly close

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I have been asking about 5G in my area for over 2 years, which is more or less when 4G finally arrived. The response is always 3-6months. Now of course they are removing 3G so a LOT OF PEOPLE will have reduced service until it actually happens and have a new 5G enabled phone

3 to 6 months? Hope it's more realistic than nuclear fusion is 10 years away (as it has been since the middle of the 1900s)

 

[madasafish]

more or less - and not just Crabro, countless other insects will get caught

Sorry but the NBU strategy makes no sense. It is illogical, and risks being overwhelmed by weight of numbers.
We are fighting a war of invasion by Asian Hornets. When fighting wars, you strike your opponents when they are weak and most vulnerable. You hit them with overwhelming force before they establish and bring in reinforcements. You make sure any bridgehead they make is wiped out asap.

The NBU strategy is to ignore them until they have established a nest (a bridgehead) and have brought in reinforcements (young hornets) or even hide away in a nest in some outlying place. And then to try to wipe them out when they are dug into a nest possibly 15Meters in the air requiring a cherry picker to gain access.
Or hidden half way up some vertical cliff face accessible only with ropes.

Now last year some areas in France had 5,000 Asian hornet nests. That is areas not total France. It is physically impossible to destroy 50 hornets nests a week with current resources. We could be talking that kind of level of invasion all forming nests with hundreds of hornets per nest within a couple of months,

Spring trapping will catch some of these queens with minimal efforts. And minimal by catch when compared to the annual insect catch of one hornet nest.

"Let's save the by catch " is the motto. The resulting consumption by a nest which lasts say 3 months could be 3-5kg of insects.. far in excess of any sensibly manged trap.

The policy appears to fly in the face of logic. Certainly of military logic: strike your enemy at their most vulnerable.

I hope the NBU repent. The videos by Andrew Durham certainly support the above.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sorry but the NBU strategy makes no sense. It is illogical, and risks being overwhelmed by weight of numbers.
We are fighting a war of invasion by Asian Hornets. When fighting wars, you strike your opponents when they are weak and most vulnerable. You hit them with overwhelming force before they establish and bring in reinforcements. You make sure any bridgehead they make is wiped out asap.

The NBU strategy is to ignore them until they have established a nest (a bridgehead) and have brought in reinforcements (young hornets) or even hide away in a nest in some outlying place. And then to try to wipe them out when they are dug into a nest possibly 15Meters in the air requiring a cherry picker to gain access.
Or hidden half way up some vertical cliff face accessible only with ropes.

Now last year some areas in France had 5,000 Asian hornet nests. That is areas not total France. It is physically impossible to destroy 50 hornets nests a week with current resources. We could be talking that kind of level of invasion all forming nests with hundreds of hornets per nest within a couple of months,

Spring trapping will catch some of these queens with minimal efforts. And minimal by catch when compared to the annual insect catch of one hornet nest.

"Let's save the by catch " is the motto. The resulting consumption by a nest which lasts say 3 months could be 3-5kg of insects.. far in excess of any sensibly manged trap.

The policy appears to fly in the face of logic. Certainly of military logic: strike your enemy at their most vulnerable.

I hope the NBU repent. The videos by Andrew Durham certainly support the above.

sounds like an exerpt from the gammon manual of jingoistic claptrap and scarepanicmongering published a few years ago for other subjects

 

[fian]

Sorry but the NBU strategy makes no sense. It is illogical, and risks being overwhelmed by weight of numbers.
We are fighting a war of invasion by Asian Hornets. When fighting wars, you strike your opponents when they are weak and most vulnerable. You hit them with overwhelming force before they establish and bring in reinforcements. You make sure any bridgehead they make is wiped out asap.

The NBU strategy is to ignore them until they have established a nest (a bridgehead) and have brought in reinforcements (young hornets) or even hide away in a nest in some outlying place. And then to try to wipe them out when they are dug into a nest possibly 15Meters in the air requiring a cherry picker to gain access.
Or hidden half way up some vertical cliff face accessible only with ropes.

Now last year some areas in France had 5,000 Asian hornet nests. That is areas not total France. It is physically impossible to destroy 50 hornets nests a week with current resources. We could be talking that kind of level of invasion all forming nests with hundreds of hornets per nest within a couple of months,

Spring trapping will catch some of these queens with minimal efforts. And minimal by catch when compared to the annual insect catch of one hornet nest.

"Let's save the by catch " is the motto. The resulting consumption by a nest which lasts say 3 months could be 3-5kg of insects.. far in excess of any sensibly manged trap.

The policy appears to fly in the face of logic. Certainly of military logic: strike your enemy at their most vulnerable.

I hope the NBU repent. The videos by Andrew Durham certainly support the above.

You will not be able to convince them, science does not support their blind faith. I prefer to provide information and let users draw their conclusions. At least I hope that the NBU issues some kind of report or guide that makes them reflect on their position "let's save a vespina and condemn the bees."

 

[Wilco]

Sorry but the NBU strategy makes no sense. It is illogical, and risks being overwhelmed by weight of numbers.
We are fighting a war of invasion by Asian Hornets. When fighting wars, you strike your opponents when they are weak and most vulnerable. You hit them with overwhelming force before they establish and bring in reinforcements. You make sure any bridgehead they make is wiped out asap.

The NBU strategy is to ignore them until they have established a nest (a bridgehead) and have brought in reinforcements (young hornets) or even hide away in a nest in some outlying place. And then to try to wipe them out when they are dug into a nest possibly 15Meters in the air requiring a cherry picker to gain access.
Or hidden half way up some vertical cliff face accessible only with ropes.

Now last year some areas in France had 5,000 Asian hornet nests. That is areas not total France. It is physically impossible to destroy 50 hornets nests a week with current resources. We could be talking that kind of level of invasion all forming nests with hundreds of hornets per nest within a couple of months,

Spring trapping will catch some of these queens with minimal efforts. And minimal by catch when compared to the annual insect catch of one hornet nest.

"Let's save the by catch " is the motto. The resulting consumption by a nest which lasts say 3 months could be 3-5kg of insects.. far in excess of any sensibly manged trap.

The policy appears to fly in the face of logic. Certainly of military logic: strike your enemy at their most vulnerable.

I hope the NBU repent. The videos by Andrew Durham certainly support the above.

Before you can launch such an atttack you need to do recon and make sure your intelligence is correct on the enemy's movements. Otherwise you risk using your resources in the wrong way which can weaken your position for future fighting. You also don't launch such a strike until the opportune time and you follow the chain of command.

The NBU is saying wait for the intel and orders. So we wait.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]