Asian Hornet Devon 2017

[JC47]

As a new Beekeeper, I read the recent threads concerning the Asian Hornets found in Woolacombe and Plymouth and have been amazed that no updates have been released by the N.B.U.
Is this normal for the Bee Inspectorate to keep Beekeepers in the dark, bearing in mind that Channel Island Beekeepers have purchased 8mm thick suits for their protection from Asian Hornets which have a 6mm stinger that is ' no worse than a bee sting' ?

 

[For want of a better word]

Info sent out said that (2) colonies were found and destroyed in Woolacombe and that the Plymouth sighting could not be verified and no Asian Hornets were found in the Plymouth area.

Nothing more to report?

Yeghes da

 

[fatshark]

Nothing more to report?

There will be ... once the genetic analysis of the Woolacombe AH's is completed. Are they related to the isolates from 2016? The distance is about right for the annual dispersion seen in France.

The wind this evening will make finding more nests a bit easier as well ...

 

[For want of a better word]

There will be ... once the genetic analysis of the Woolacombe AH's is completed. Are they related to the isolates from 2016? The distance is about right for the annual dispersion seen in France.

The wind this evening will make finding more nests a bit easier as well ...

Blown apart... a bit like Napoleon?

Nos da

 

[Barbarian]

I agree with JC47 comment about being kept in the dark.
I can't find a reference for Icanhopit's information.
There is nothing recent on Beebase.

 

[Trunkles]

Hello fellow bee keepers..

I thought it would try to bring this thread up to date. Martyn Hocking who was the informant on the Woolacombe Hornets ( it was his hives they were raiding) wrote an article for the bee keeping magazines which makes very interesting reading.

Martyn was somewhat agreived by the way he was kept inmthe dark by NBU et al. Som of us in Devon were nobplussed ny the lack of advice and action from the authorities and so we have created a DBKA initiative to set up Asian Hornet Action teams.

These teams will be manned by well prepared members of local BKAs and we will hope to receive reports of AH (and other misidentified suspects) , go out to locations and help informants Positively identify or rule out AH, get photographic evidence, capture sample insect, and begin the process of triangulating proble nest location.

We are not trying tou usurp the function of NBU, NNSS, or local Bee Inspectors but there are just not the numbers of professionals to cope if we get multiple incursions of V.v. We also hope that AHAT will be active in publicizing the threat and educating the general public about the problem and the insect.

We have identified the camping fraternity ( types) as possible vectors for transport of queen V.vs duing the months through from autumn to spring. Campers love riverside and lakeside camping grounds with trees and Asian Hornets. We think individual fertil queens may seek hibernation oportunities in the cosy spaces provided by camping units and gear. As owners come home for the new spring the queen wil fly to found nests i the UK

I for one am putting threads(which have generally been well received on camping forums) in the hope of getting as many people to appreciate the problem and what to do about it.

Hopefully our initiative will spread as we have an Asian Hornet open meeting arranged in Harberton, Devon, where reps from seen other counties are attending along with reps from all the Bee keeping bodies. Martyn will be a main speaker and hopefully there will be some lively discussion about what can be done and our plans.

If any of you guys and gals can think of anything we should discuss there....pleae post.

 

[fatshark]

I've read the first article that Martyn wrote (in the Devon Beekeeper?) and it was very useful - filling in some of the gaps in official press releases.

It might be helpful to provide links to these online if they exist in that format.

 

[Trunkles]

I've read the first article that Martyn wrote (in the Devon Beekeeper?) and it was very useful - filling in some of the gaps in official press releases.

It might be helpful to provide links to these online if they exist in that format.

I am not sure if they do Fatshark, but I'll find out if there is an online site where they can be read and get the link

 

[Beefriendly]

The NE circular from the Bee unit says the following about the Woolacombe nest.
"Initial laboratory examination and analysis of the nest indicate that this was a fresh incursion from the French Asian hornet population and not directly related to the nest discovered in Tetbury last year. DNA tests on the brood show that reproduction had reached the stage of drone eggs only. As with other Vespa species, drones are produced before gynes (virgin queens) and so we can be fairly certain that this nest was destroyed before it reached the stage of releasing queens capable of setting up new colonies next".
Hope that is useful information.

 

[Trunkles]

But if Martyn hadn't seen the workers attacking hos bees maybe the nest would have produce Gynes. I think Martyn and the rest of us on the project are worried that a queen could found a nest where it wonts be detected by bee keepers spoting the foraging workers. If that happens then we are in trouble. So the more no bee keepers who can spot foraging workers the better. And the more people going to the continent in motorhomes and caravans aware of the risk the less chance theri s of them bringing a hibernating queen home.
Owners just have to be sharp eyed when they lay up their units when they return in spring and kill any insect they find hiding away as they sweep out cupboards and shake down curtains, tents being given a good shake out perhaps inside a garage so a flying insect is contained....best done with a good wasp killing spray to hand and give the inside a good sprayling as they shut the door......not 100% proof against on escaping , but a good chance of stopping them.

 

[Trunkles]

The info in Beefrienly's post is good but that colony was found. Founding queen starts a colony where there few bee keepers with hives to raid, and no people who know that ther is a risk.

Part of the Devon initiative is to make the general public and specialist groups like anglers and campers( especially those who travel to Europe in Autumn and for the winter) and walkers and gardeners etc etc awre of the probem and able to identify one type of hornet from anotherand fron the insect mimics.

Its the waste if Bee inspectors time spent on false report we can avoid with local BKA teams composed mainly of retired persons who keep bees and have time to devote to goin out to reported sightings. These teams can the verify, or not, the report and start collecting samples and photo evidence. once that is off to the NBU, NNSS etc., the teams can start the tracking process, NBU then only have to come and confirm the results and destroy the colony

Bee keepers Will be happy because they will have had a quick and positive response to their report and hopefully the authorities will be happy because the cost of dealing with an event is greatly reduced.

This is what is happening on Jersey I believe and Jersey have confirmed to methat it is vitally important the general public are made aware and properly informed of the facts about ID of the Asian Hornet

 

[Beefriendly]

Owners just have to be sharp eyed when they lay up their units when they return in spring and kill any insect they find hiding away as they sweep out cupboards and shake down curtains, tents.

You might inform more caravaners/campers of this problem, that they may not be aware of, by writing to the readers letter pages of organisations like the Caravan Club and their likes.

 

[Trunkles]

You might inform more caravaners/campers of this problem, that they may not be aware of, by writing to the readers letter pages of organisations like the Caravan Club and their likes.

I believe on of our Devon group is working on just that theme. We are trying to get the camping organisations to commit to a policy of educating ( there is no other word for it) their members by policy statements and articles in their club magazines.

So hopefully we shall make some headway there.

As I said I am concentrating on camping website forums but threads go cold even though a lot of hits indicate that browsers are reading them. I can do only so much to keep them running. ANd then of course you get the funny guys making quips that throw you off thread!

 

[deanrpwaacs]

Just an idea . Maybe Rambling groups could be asked to look for nests at this time of year . Must be a big network of Ramblers that access areas the general public do not .

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

 

[Trunkles]

Just an idea . Maybe Rambling groups could be asked to look for nests at this time of year . Must be a big network of Ramblers that access areas the general public do not .

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

That is a very good idea. I shall get someone onto it right away. Thanks

 

[Karol]

At this time of year how will that help?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Hello fellow bee keepers..

I thought it would try to bring this thread up to date. Martyn Hocking who was the informant on the Woolacombe Hornets ( it was his hives they were raiding) wrote an article for the bee keeping magazines which makes very interesting reading.

Martyn was somewhat agreived by the way he was kept inmthe dark by NBU et al. Som of us in Devon were nobplussed ny the lack of advice and action from the authorities and so we have created a DBKA initiative to set up Asian Hornet Action teams.

These teams will be manned by well prepared members of local BKAs and we will hope to receive reports of AH (and other misidentified suspects) , go out to locations and help informants Positively identify or rule out AH, get photographic evidence, capture sample insect, and begin the process of triangulating proble nest location.

We are not trying tou usurp the function of NBU, NNSS, or local Bee Inspectors but there are just not the numbers of professionals to cope if we get multiple incursions of V.v. We also hope that AHAT will be active in publicizing the threat and educating the general public about the problem and the insect.

We have identified the camping fraternity ( types) as possible vectors for transport of queen V.vs duing the months through from autumn to spring. Campers love riverside and lakeside camping grounds with trees and Asian Hornets. We think individual fertil queens may seek hibernation oportunities in the cosy spaces provided by camping units and gear. As owners come home for the new spring the queen wil fly to found nests i the UK

I for one am putting threads(which have generally been well received on camping forums) in the hope of getting as many people to appreciate the problem and what to do about it.

Hopefully our initiative will spread as we have an Asian Hornet open meeting arranged in Harberton, Devon, where reps from seen other counties are attending along with reps from all the Bee keeping bodies. Martyn will be a main speaker and hopefully there will be some lively discussion about what can be done and our plans.

If any of you guys and gals can think of anything we should discuss there....pleae post.

Can I add a suggestion of producing a condensed video suitable for junior school children that could be downloaded and passed to local schools by beekeepers. A few "Wanted" poster images for display (similar to those which were on public notice boards for Colorado Beetle in the 1950s) would help, especially if we could download, print, encapsulate and pass to Parish Councils. Possibly the image mentioned in the other current thread
Release of the campaign material in early spring should be appropriate.

 

[Erichalfbee]

That is a very good idea. I shall get someone onto it right away. Thanks

Looking at the lighter side, every magpie nest spotted out of the corner of my eye gets viewed with great suspicion

 

[Trunkles]

Can I add a suggestion of producing a condensed video suitable for junior school children that could be downloaded and passed to local schools by beekeepers. A few "Wanted" poster images for display (similar to those which were on public notice boards for Colorado Beetle in the 1950s) would help, especially if we could download, print, encapsulate and pass to Parish Councils. Possibly the image mentioned in the other current thread
Release of the campaign material in early spring should be appropriate.

Gilbedyke John, that is a stroke of genius. would you like to join us as a
member of the team in the Devon Initiative?

Or maybe you should start a similar movement in Yorkshire

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Gilbedyke John, that is a stroke of genius. would you like to join us as a
member of the team in the Devon Initiative?

Or maybe you should start a similar movement in Yorkshire

As shucks (blush)
I'm not able to provide the talent to produce a lesson video but I'll happily bend a few ears in local schools if one could be created. Most schools seem to have the ability to use memory sticks so something to fit on say a cheap 8gB stick would be nice.
If making a video is a stumbling block perhaps a power point presentation would work?