Asian Hornet nest discovered in Portsmouth

[Erichalfbee]

Pete is one of the good guys.

I know who he is

 

[Apiarisnt]

Hi, I / we are not aware that Varroa affect AH, I doubt it as Varroa need a continuous lifecycle of their host to live. As for other parasites I guess they would have had to come over with the original incursion of a single Queen into France years ago. Do wasps have parasites, Karol will know.

The attached paper suggests a couple of parasites for Vespa velutina

This nematode is the second native enemy of Vespa velutina recorded in
France, after a conopid fly whose larvae develop as internal parasitoids of adult wasps
and bumblebees.

however:

In this paper, we provide arguments for the local origin of the nematode
parasite and its limited impact on hornet colony survival.We also clarify why
these parasites (mermithids and conopids) most likely could not hamper the hornet
invasion nor be used in biological control programs against this invasive species.

and the impact on native wasps and bumble bees would need to taken into consideration

and definitely for those who are not squeamish, here is a parasite, Xenos moutoni , being removed from Vespa manadrina, not Vespa velutina: https://themotherofallnerds.com/thi...a-hornet-is-unsettling-but-we-cant-look-away/

 

[Boylucid]

Hello All, I do not think you can blame the French and their ferry service completely, the Asian Hornet is now also found in my native Jersey and the slow boats from jersey also disembark in Portsmouth.



Best

Boylucid

 

[pargyle]

Hello All, I do not think you can blame the French and their ferry service completely, the Asian Hornet is now also found in my native Jersey and the slow boats from jersey also disembark in Portsmouth.

Best

Boylucid

I wonder how the Asian hornet got to Jersey ? Perhaps we ought not to blame the French for that incursion either ?

The reality is that there is movement across the globe ... freight and people move from country to country with an ease and speed that even my parents would find astonishing - let alone my grandparents, who were born before petrol driven vehicles were common and when the steam train was the fastest thing on the planet. I don't think we can 'blame' any nationality for the continual spread of non-native species - it's going to happen - probably more evident as our climate continues to change. If there is movement on the scale we have seen it's pretty obvious that non-native species will transcend national borders - nature has a habit of seeking out opportunities for expansion.

I think that Governments have a responsibility to seek to eliminate (if at all possible) invasive foreign species; we have seen the impact of complacency that has led to in the international spread of varroa ... so far the UK has acted with some impetus to combat the threat of the Asian Hornet but it's going to be an ongoing battle.

Perhaps, if we had an effective national beekeeping association what I would like to see is them organising a national campaign to eliminate varroa (or at least reduce it to less significant levels). I'm a non-treater but if I thought that the whole of the beekeeping community could join together for a 'kill varroa campaign' at an appropiate point in the year then I would break my principles and join in ....

 

[Moobee]

You only have to watch one of the Customs or Border programmes on the gogglebox to see how people like to try and smuggle in 'foreign' substances (whether it be plant or animal material) in their luggage when they cross borders despite all the publicity, dire warnings and fines. I remember my mother in the late 1960's liking the look of a plant in Ibiza and sneaking home a cutting in her luggage.... in my defence, I was very young and knew no better but I would disown her if she did that today!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You only have to watch one of the Customs or Border programmes on the gogglebox to see how people like to try and smuggle in 'foreign' substances (whether it be plant or animal material) in their luggage when they cross borders despite all the publicity, dire warnings and fines. I remember my mother in the late 1960's liking the look of a plant in Ibiza and sneaking home a cutting in her luggage.... in my defence, I was very young and knew no better but I would disown her if she did that today!

I remember before SWMBO and I got married, closely examining the poppies her grandmother had growing in her garden, she said they were from a plant she brought back from a Spanish holiday - then suddenly went quiet, and very pale, I just laughed but then a few days later, I bumped into a friend who lived next door to her who told me that he was worried about Brenda's behaviour as a few days before,he'd seen her rip up all the lovely poppies in her garden and throw them on the bonfire!!

 

[Karol]

<snip> Do wasps have parasites, ..

They do but none that can be used effectively as controls.

A fair amount of work has been trialled using biological controls on invasive Vespula species in New Zealand to little effect. Part of the problem is that wasps have defensive strategies including ejecting infected nest mates. One of the roles played by sentries is to prevent entry to the nest by infected foragers.

Perhaps one of the most remarkable defensive strategies employed by wasps against parasites is that of potter wasps:

(Link takes you to New Scientist video clip)

https://tinyurl.com/zwczmr

 

[Hachi]

Guessing it might be too late to be destroying a nest at this time of the year? Won’t all the next-year queens be mated and now hibernating until next spring?

A Spanish scientist dispelled the myth that ALL the queens vacate the nest to hibernate Rab. He also provided photographic evidence of nests with hibernating queens in them in northern Spain.

 

[Karol]

A Spanish scientist dispelled the myth that ALL the queens vacate the nest to hibernate Rab. He also provided photographic evidence of nests with hibernating queens in them in northern Spain.

That is really interesting. I wonder whether that behaviour is consistent with their native behaviour or whether it is modified behaviour in the absence of sufficient mating cues?

It is a mystery how wasps communicate and collectively plan their mating 'events'. It never happens at the same time each year but nevertheless it is co-ordinated throughout all colonies which suggests some form of inter-nest communication.

Perhaps, and this is conjecture, in the absence of such reproductive cues from other nests, Velutina queens don't disperse?

 

[Norton Caff]

I wonder how the Asian hornet got to Jersey ?

It's only 14 miles or so, a good wind behind a strong pair of wings and a queen is going to make landfall.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

There is regular daily freight traffic from mainland France to the islands, as well as loads of gin palace/WAFI traffic, especially at the height of the season - and don't forget the fishing boats