Asian Hornet in Devon

[Gilberdyke John]

Something a little more substantial perhaps - squash racquet?

Flamethrower

 

[Erichalfbee]

I watched an item on the BBC news last night. The nest appeared to be in a hedge. It didn't look as big as the ones you see in trees. I hope it was the main nest they got.

 

[domino]

I watched an item on the BBC news last night. The nest appeared to be in a hedge. It didn't look as big as the ones you see in trees. I hope it was the main nest they got.

If they've found two I doubt it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ah. I didn't know two had been found. I must keep up

 

[domino]

Ah. I didn't know two had been found. I must keep up

I'll be making traps this winter.

 

[Mark Young]

I guess I am a little odd in that I don't mind the European Hornets doing whatever they do. They are always around my apiaries this time of the year and don't really cause much trouble to the bees. I quite enjoy seeing the odd one trying his luck around the hives; but they usually leave empty handed.

I'd like to find factually accurate information on the impact that the Asian hornet has had within countries it has migrated to but anything I find seems to be from either the doom mongers or the all animals are sacred brigade; as you can imagine they have polar opposite views

All I know is that the Asian Hornet is out of place here and the threat they are to native wildlife is largely uncertain. That is enough for me to encourage everyone I know and their kids to download the hornet watch app. We are nothing if not an online society nowadays.

 

[Teemore]

Apologies for posting this across two threads. Has anyone any update on the Bee Craft bulletin circulated earlier today which confirms the identification of AH in Plymouth?

 

[ditchgould]

Is it too late to ask the Government to include the Asian Hornet in their Brexit negotiations / border controls agreement?

I believe it is inevitable that these little monsters will eventually inhabit the UK. Maybe we should look at education around hive protection and what else we can do to protect our colonies, whilst hopefully the boffins at various Universities look at ways to permanently remove them back to their native Asian regions.

Removing the entire Asian hgornet population from Europe simply isn't possible - way too many.

 

[ditchgould]

If you want to know what damage they do, simply hop over to France and any beekeeper will tell you that it is devastating. That's not doom mongering - it's fact.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Apologies for posting this across two threads. Has anyone any update on the Bee Craft bulletin circulated earlier today which confirms the identification of AH in Plymouth?

Regional Inspector visiting today to check report of a hornet hawking at an apiary. No photo or dead insect to work on - solely the opinion of an experienced beekeeper.

Don't know the outcome of RBI's inspection.

I have two traps out in my apiary using mashed up shrimp and Ribena as a bait - here's hoping I don't catch one!

CVB

 

[wightbees]

I have heard that there's a confirmed report in Plymouth

 

[mazzamazda]

I guess I am a little odd in that I don't mind the European Hornets doing whatever they do. They are always around my apiaries this time of the year and don't really cause much trouble to the bees. I quite enjoy seeing the odd one trying his luck around the hives; but they usually leave empty handed.

I'd like to find factually accurate information on the impact that the Asian hornet has had within countries it has migrated to but anything I find seems to be from either the doom mongers or the all animals are sacred brigade; as you can imagine they have polar opposite views

All I know is that the Asian Hornet is out of place here and the threat they are to native wildlife is largely uncertain. That is enough for me to encourage everyone I know and their kids to download the hornet watch app. We are nothing if not an online society nowadays.

I have to agree with you, European hornets are quite good to watch, they are really quite useless hunters. I can say the Asian hornets are a very different animal, they hover in front of the hive almost motionless and stick a few legs out, grab a bee and off, if they are there a minute they are not doing well. I took a video of 2 yesterday infront of a hive, working together, from the same nest. I have lost many millions of bees to them in 2014 and 2015. The main problem is bees dont tend to forage if there are more than 4 hovering per hive so they can end up starving.

 

[mazzamazda]

Removing the entire Asian hgornet population from Europe simply isn't possible - way too many.

I think it is possible!

 

[mazzamazda]

Regional Inspector visiting today to check report of a hornet hawking at an apiary. No photo or dead insect to work on - solely the opinion of an experienced beekeeper.

Don't know the outcome of RBI's inspection.

I have two traps out in my apiary using mashed up shrimp and Ribena as a bait - here's hoping I don't catch one!

CVB

The bees will let you know before you will trap one usually, they will gather at the entrance to protect and stay like that for most of that day. I'd try a sweet trap before a protein trap, only as I havent ever caught a hornet in a protein trap, I set traps most days.

 

[For want of a better word]

I think it is possible!

According to Gardeners World so is the eradication of Himalayan Balsam... Rust apparently !!


Nos da

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you want to know what damage they do, simply hop over to France and any beekeeper will tell you that it is devastating. That's not doom mongering - it's fact.

Really? maybe the one contributing on here can elucidate.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

The bees will let you know before you will trap one usually, they will gather at the entrance to protect and stay like that for most of that day. I'd try a sweet trap before a protein trap, only as I havent ever caught a hornet in a protein trap, I set traps most days.

I was hoping my "Crevette au Ribena" would tick two boxes - sweet and protein, but I may add a bit more Ribena if you think it's more successful.

CVB

 

[mazzamazda]

According to Gardeners World so is the eradication of Himalayan Balsam... Rust apparently !!


Nos da

The odds are against us as I'm pretty sure there isnt one single invasive eradicated. Asian hornets are easy compared to HB. We have an army of beekeepers.

 

[mazzamazda]

I was hoping my "Crevette au Ribena" would tick two boxes - sweet and protein, but I may add a bit more Ribena if you think it's more successful.

CVB

I can see where you are coming from, the problem is the protein goes rank very quickly and very expensive to keep running, not effective imo either.
I'll explain why I dont think protein traps near beehives work, no science, just a few years watching AH's

An Asian Hornet will always take a live bee over a trap near a hive be it a protein or sugar trap. Lately I have spotted them taking dead bees from the front of the hive, something new to me. If a young inexperienced hornet hovers for a few minutes and tires after a unsuccessful hunt they may opt for a sugar trap. They like fondant, feeders they can get near or failing that traps. The best traps imo are ones with live insects in, especially other hornets, I accidentally left a honey jar out that I was feeding sugar solution to the bees, topped with cling film and a hole about the size of a 50p piece in the top, within 30 minutes it had caught around 30 hornets.


What they use in traps here are equal quantities of white wine, lager and a drink like ribena, my best success is with just what I feed my bees, 3.5-1 (water-sugar) I add a live hornet which keeps the bees away so you might need to add some beer.

 

[For want of a better word]

The odds are against us as I'm pretty sure there isnt one single invasive eradicated. Asian hornets are easy compared to HB. We have an army of beekeepers.

Not so... coypu 1989
http://www.shootinguk.co.uk/features/coypu-71358

Yeghes da