Asian Hornet - Gloucestershire

[WoodenBeam]

A confirmed sighting, details now on the NBU Website.

 

[Robbo8916]

A confirmed sighting, details now on the NBU Website.

Uh oh.....

 

[MartinL]

A confirmed sighting, details now on the NBU Website.

Define "Confirmed" ??

 

[MuswellMetro]

Define "Confirmed" ??

from another thread

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/asian-hornet-identified-in-gloucestershire


confirmed=Official government news statement

 

[Plenty of honey]

"setting up a 3 mile surveillance zone around Tetbury
opening a local control centre to coordinate the response
deploying bee inspectors across the area who will use infrared cameras and traps to locate any nests
readying nest disposal experts who will use pesticides to kill the hornets and destroy any nests"

Why didn't they do this in France when it all started, millions [ploughed in to it would have paid off in the long term, now were stuck with the blasted things!!

 

[Hivemaker.]

Why didn't they do this in France when it all started, millions [ploughed in to it would have paid off in the long term, now were stuck with the blasted things!!

Sounds like they have everything under control here, so nothing much to be concerned about, and even if there were, there would be no point anyway.

 

[viridens]

"setting up a 3 mile surveillance zone around Tetbury
opening a local control centre to coordinate the response
deploying bee inspectors across the area who will use infrared cameras and traps to locate any nests
readying nest disposal experts who will use pesticides to kill the hornets and destroy any nests"

Why didn't they do this in France when it all started, millions [ploughed in to it would have paid off in the long term, now were stuck with the blasted things!!

Bad news for all, and I don't think things are under control here.
Given where Tetbury is located, it seems pretty clear that although this is the site of the first positive I.D. it is very unlikely to be the only place to be colonised.
It seems pointless or at least very optimistic to set up a 3 mile zone other than a test exercise. It's a very small stable door....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Where are they going to find all these spare SBI's they're all far too busy kow towing to big business by trying to catch someone who is not daft enough to pay through the nose for OA with a pinch of added fairy dust.

 

[Pete D]

Where are they going to find all these spare SBI's they're all far too busy kow towing to big business by trying to catch someone who is not daft enough to pay through the nose for OA with a pinch of added fairy dust.

Really? Is that a strong held personal belief / opinion of the work the National Bee Unit do ?
As I understand it they collect 100 samples between them per year which take about 10 minutes each including paperwork. That's less than 2 samples each or 20 minutes of their 6 months work.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Put the handbag down Pete! it's an off the cuff statement but one which may crop up more often, if the VMD are hell bent on finding a Beekeeper's head to display 'pour encorager les autres' and using SBIs to do their dirty work for them in their bid to keep big pharma happy it's what more beekeepers are going to think/say.
The NBU are in danger of losing the fantastic rapport they have with beekeepers and it's only right it should be discussed.
(and yes, that is a personally held belief)
I am personally acquainted with an SBI and RBI - one a member of my BKA and one a neighbouring one. And SWMBO worked closely with the NBU (as she was signing all their funding cheques from Wales) to the point of attending an SBI spring course some time ago so I have a good idea what they do

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Put the handbag down Pete! it's an off the cuff statement but one which may crop up more often, if the VMD are hell bent on finding a Beekeeper's head to display 'pour encorager les autres' and using SBIs to do their dirty work for them in their bid to keep big pharma happy it's what more beekeepers are going to think/say.
The NBU are in danger of losing the fantastic rapport they have with beekeepers and it's only right it should be discussed.
(and yes, that is a personally held belief)
I am personally acquainted with an SBI and RBI - one a member of my BKA and one a neighbouring one. And SWMBO worked closely with the NBU (as she was signing all their funding cheques from Wales) to the point of attending an SBI spring course some time ago so I have a good idea what they do

I can foresee a lot of beekeepers dropping under the radar. Quite the opposite of what the men from the ministry planned but thats what happens when the laws of unintended consequences kick in.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Where are they going to find all these spare SBI's they're all far too busy kow towing to big business by trying to catch someone who is not daft enough to pay through the nose for OA with a pinch of added fairy dust.

Doesn't the Seasonal Bee Inspector's contracts start in March and end on the 1st of October , so does that mean we have 10 days to stop pending doom

 

[Pete D]

30th September this year......................unless they are to do battle with Asian Hornets this year.

 

[Quis Custodiet]

I believe Mr Jenkins opinions on that specific matter are totally accurate. In my view, not all, but the majority of so called SBI's are on par with "Deh min from deh departmint" in Southern Ireland. They recently saved that nation's honour and integrity and prevented the collapse of the major economies of the world by confiscating five queen bees being imported from Europe. It did take them several years to realise beef burgers were being made with horse meat.

 

[domino]

So what is the advice for beekeepers managing hives in a Asian Hornet World?

Trapping in spring seems a good bet.

 

[peteinwilts]

'Tetbury area'... kemble airfield?

Anyone know?

 

[Plenty of honey]

So what is the advice for beekeepers managing hives in a Asian Hornet World?

Trapping in spring seems a good bet.

yes, its the best and most effective way. This year I had a minimum of 3 bottle traps at every location i had hives. Overall we caught more queens very early on as soon as it started to warm up, but before the common hornet queens got really going, so for the first couple of weeks, all i trapped was lots of Asian queens.
Ive done a video on how to make the bottle traps, youve all probably seen it. It works well for me. Theres a lot out there who dont trap in fear of damaging the good work the common hornets do, which definitely agree with, but..... we have to control the overwintering queens that form new colonies in early spring.

My current problem with Asian hornets: i dont really haver one. At all my 8 apiaries i have Asian hornets, but theres only ever one or two in the apiary at one time. You can easily swat the workers as they grab bees, or stand on them, as they drop to the ground to decapitate a bee, before they fly off to their nest, which is very difficult to locate. (but you waste a lot of time, adding this to all the other time we waste in the apiary lol)

A few points to remember:
Asian hornets are slow to get going, they build a small nursery nest and move on after the queen has established enough workers to support her. its then they suddenly appear, then make a nest in a very difficult place to find.

Their relatively easy to trap in the spring. Make a minimum of 3 bottle traps per apiary. heres the link to a video i did. its a practical howe to make. easy to follow.

https://youtu.be/Yin1eGivY3A

By the time Asian Hornets become a problem we've done most of our bee work (well us here anyway) I imagine if your a heather honey specialist, then Asians Hornets may pose a problem but to be honest as long as you keep hives in groups of more then two, even a nest in fairly close proximity wont really be a problem if its a healthy hive.

Their still keeping bees in the Gironde area, the first place of infestation, over 10 years ago. Its a pain in the arse, but compared to Varroa regimes, its a walk in the park!! You will deal with it!!!

 

[Millet]

I will be good in the North east, it is too cold for them up here, just as well really as the Tennis racket is glued to the shed wall with web and the last thing i want to do is make Big Mummy spider homeless and her babies on a scare mongering Whim.

 

[mazzamazda]

So what is the advice for beekeepers managing hives in a Asian Hornet World?

Trapping in spring seems a good bet.

Open hive entrance, if its reduced the hornet has a small area to hover and catch a bee.

Remove landing board, I'll add a pic from this week, the hornet has a good rest before waiting to catching a bee.

Make sure grass is trimmed as long grass gives a good ambush

Set up traps with chopped off upturned 2ltr bottles, sweet stuff inside, I only ever catch a few as they are looking for protein right now.

Keep lots of hives in one apiary, it shares out the loss, with one or two hives I think the damage would be great, I think that is where the UK could suffer, although this wet spring here certainly reduced numbers, I'm guessing UK winter will make survival tough.

I do try and catch a few, either with an executioner pro or a badminton racket cuts them in half but it really isnt worth the effort, I dont think I ever make a dent in population.

Traps in October/November and from February work well as it gets the queens as does looking in old hives in storage, I've destroyed many traps early on.

Thats what I do rightly or wrongly, I'm very much open to tips too.

 

[Millet]

yes, its the best and most effective way. This year I had a minimum of 3 bottle traps at every location i had hives. Overall we caught more queens very early on as soon as it started to warm up, but before the common hornet queens got really going, so for the first couple of weeks, all i trapped was lots of Asian queens.
Ive done a video on how to make the bottle traps, youve all probably seen it. It works well for me. Theres a lot out there who dont trap in fear of damaging the good work the common hornets do, which definitely agree with, but..... we have to control the overwintering queens that form new colonies in early spring.

My current problem with Asian hornets: i dont really haver one. At all my 8 apiaries i have Asian hornets, but theres only ever one or two in the apiary at one time. You can easily swat the workers as they grab bees, or stand on them, as they drop to the ground to decapitate a bee, before they fly off to their nest, which is very difficult to locate. (but you waste a lot of time, adding this to all the other time we waste in the apiary lol)

A few points to remember:
Asian hornets are slow to get going, they build a small nursery nest and move on after the queen has established enough workers to support her. its then they suddenly appear, then make a nest in a very difficult place to find.

Their relatively easy to trap in the spring. Make a minimum of 3 bottle traps per apiary. heres the link to a video i did. its a practical howe to make. easy to follow.

https://youtu.be/Yin1eGivY3A

By the time Asian Hornets become a problem we've done most of our bee work (well us here anyway) I imagine if your a heather honey specialist, then Asians Hornets may pose a problem but to be honest as long as you keep hives in groups of more then two, even a nest in fairly close proximity wont really be a problem if its a healthy hive.

Their still keeping bees in the Gironde area, the first place of infestation, over 10 years ago. Its a pain in the arse, but compared to Varroa regimes, its a walk in the park!! You will deal with it!!!

Hell ye,