Asian Hornet heads up for the Scots

[Poly Hive]

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/farmingrural/Agriculture/animal-welfare/bee/News/AsianHornet

PH

 

[dpearce4]

bloody hell not good news

 

[Briarfield]

Is this near any import facility?

 

[fatshark]

bloody hell not good news

but better than not finding it ...

 

[Briarfield]

Does everyone have their traps in place?

One queen now is like a thousand fewer next year.

 

[Barbarian]

Info ... Info... Need more info.

Well done to whoever spotted it.

Location ? Type of store ? Part of a chain ? Gardening section ?

Hope there is a DNA analysis shortly.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Does everyone have their traps in place?

No.

 

[Karsal]

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/farmingrural/Agriculture/animal-welfare/bee/News/AsianHornet

PH

Thanks for the post Poly Hive.

I've circulated it to our club members. Traps will be in place tomorrow in my apiary.

We all need to be vigilant

 

[Poly Hive]

The SBA Science officer posted it on the Scottish Native bee group on FB, I just spread it a bit further around.

PH

 

[Millet]

I did not think any would be spotted that far up so soon, i think i will dig the tennis racket out..

 

[Into the lions den]

Well, I for one will not be getting my knickers in a twist about it. Probably, if confirmed, arrived at foresaid facility as a dormant queen in a load of goods from wherever. Got into the facility, warmed up, and was spotted.

One little snippet like this and the internet chatter goes off like a fox just got into the henhouse.

Asian hornet, even in the unlikely event it truly does arrive in Scotland aint going to be the end of the world as we know it. Bit brassers up here for such beasties to truly prosper. Even European hornets don't make it here.

 

[MartinL]

Do we have a picture?

Or is it another sensationalist hack on a slow news day?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I did not think any would be spotted that far up so soon, i think i will dig the tennis racket out..

You'll have to have a long handle on it to catch a Scottish one

 

[Millet]

You'll have to have a long handle on it to catch a Scottish one

Mine are not far from the border so i suspect they will move further south to warmer parts, that is if they survive the Northern weather.

 

[Fritillary]

You'll have to have a long handle on it to catch a Scottish one

:

 

[Karsal]

It's been confirmed today that the Asian Hornet found in Scotland was an overwintering queen.
It has been sent to the National Bee Unit York for DNA analysis.

 

[Fritillary]

It's been confirmed today that the Asian Hornet found in Scotland was an overwintering queen.

It really is then All Hats Off and thanks to the person who found it.

 

[Chiangmai member]

It's been confirmed today that the Asian Hornet found in Scotland was an overwintering queen.
It has been sent to the National Bee Unit York for DNA analysis.

This cannot be good news. I hear it was a mild winter in Scotland as well- quite within their native temperature range. Was the Scottish specimen caught alive?

 

[Karsal]

It's been confirmed today that the Asian Hornet found in Scotland was an overwintering queen.
It has been sent to the National Bee Unit York for DNA analysis.

It was a pest control operative that found the Asian hornet I believe. Not sure though if it was alive when captured. The worrying thing is :- Did originate from a colony in this country?

 

[Into the lions den]

This cannot be good news. I hear it was a mild winter in Scotland as well- quite within their native temperature range. Was the Scottish specimen caught alive?

It was found in a retail warehouse, not in the field. Wasps, and these are in reality just wasps on steroids, have not started their season here yet, queens are still dormant and we come across some every day.

In the location it was found there is no reason to suspect it to be anything other than an overwintering queen that arrived on goods from an area where the hornets are extant.

We do not get European hornets here. Also our summers are short and there are a lot of things against this being a severe pest.

I am more interested to see where it apparently came from than harbouring any serious fears of the pest.

Will be at our southern unit next week, will be more interested in what is going on there as one lot is a mere 16 miles from Tetbury.