Asian Hornet nest discovered in Portsmouth

[rampino]

I think that it is most likely to have hitched a ride on Brittany Ferries from St Malo. I killed this one in my friend’s mobile home in Dinard, which is 20mins from the ferry. I didn’t realise what it was until I looked at it closely. This was a couple of years ago.

 

[Ian123]

I hope that’s the hornet your measuring

 

[Pembroke]

The same reasons holding back indigenous wasp development this year will have held back Velutina even more so. For Velutina to thrive it needs an abundance of insects early on in the year much more so than all of our native species. Spring this year was inclement and colder than average delaying indigenous species with wasps still hunting and building nests well into the latter part of October. The fatality rate of over wintering queens is of the order of 99.9%.

It is important to remain vigilant but to keep a sense of perspective and not panic.

I know AH predates our bees but do you know if it does the same to social wasps ?

 

[user 819]

Any insect is a target, one would think generally V.crabro is safe.

 

[Karol]

I know AH predates our bees but do you know if it does the same to social wasps ?

I don't is the simple answer. That said I would be surprised if it did and I will qualify that statement. Crabro is a specialist hunter of other eusocial wasps but it is considerably bigger than Velutina and when it comes to hunting eusocial wasps size matters. I think Velutina would have a hard time subduing either Germanica or the larger variety of Vulgaris because the size differential isn't enough to guarantee success on an individual basis. At colony level it is a different story. Eusocial wasps will cannabalise each other's nests during periods of protein hardship so I would expect Velutina to do the same. That said, in the UK I doubt Velutina could mount the numbers to successfully overwhelm eusocial nests.

 

[Monbees]

The same reasons holding back indigenous wasp development this year will have held back Velutina even more so. For Velutina t The fatality rate of over wintering queens is of the order of 99.9%.

It is important to remain vigilant but to keep a sense of perspective and not panic.

The same reasons holding back indigenous wasp development this year will have held back Velutina even more so. For Velutina to thrive it needs an abundance of insects early on in the year much more so than all of our native species. Spring this year was inclement and colder than average delaying indigenous species with wasps still hunting and building nests well into the latter part of October. The fatality rate of over wintering queens is of the order of 99.9%.

It is important to remain vigilant but to keep a sense of perspective and not panic.

Does this 99.9% fatality rate refer just to Asian hornets in this country, or to all native overwintering queens?

 

[Pete D]

Sounds worryingly like another European hornets' nest has bitten the dust ...

Really, why on earth would you say that ?

 

[Karol]

Does this 99.9% fatality rate refer just to Asian hornets in this country, or to all native overwintering queens?

Apologies for my poor diction. The 99.9% relates to native overwintering queens and these are species that are adapted to conditions and climate in the UK. I suspect that the fatality rate for overwintering Velutina queens may be higher because I doubt they achieve optimal fat body conditioning prior to release as a consequence of the poorer abundance of insect prey in the UK and shorter hunting seasons.

 

[Boston Bees]

Really, why on earth would you say that ?

It's OK. I was just talking rubbish. I do it fairly frequently.

 

[Pete D]

It's OK. I was just talking rubbish. I do it fairly frequently.

I can 100% confirm it was an Asian Hornet nest. The 2nd one I have dealt with this year. The team responded, tracked and traced it, had it killed and removed.
We are good at telling the difference between the Hornets.
We had over 10,000 reports last year with 1 confirmed nest, most of the reports were clearly of other insects, we need beekeepers to understand what they look like first and foremost and they can help educate the public.
Rubbish comments like yours don't help anyone.
Enjoy the dark months and I hope you and your bees do well.

 

[Karol]

Given the level of noise I think the vigilance and work done by the 'team' is stupendous and deserves recognition and thanks.

That is the fear that the more noise that is created the more likely that incursions of Velutina get overlooked. I don't think it's just a matter for the effective education of beekeepers. There are other stakeholders who also need to be educated such as pest controllers and professional grounds people.

 

[oliver90owner]

It's OK. I was just talking rubbish. I do it fairly frequently.

Just for once your post is spot-on correct.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I can 100% confirm it was an Asian Hornet nest. The 2nd one I have dealt with this year. The team responded, tracked and traced it, had it killed and removed.
We are good at telling the difference between the Hornets.
to understand what they look like first and

Well an SBI should be good at that

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Well an SBI should be good at that

RBI dontcha know!

 

[Erichalfbee]

RBI dontcha know!

Oops. I obviously move in less exalted circles.

 

[Boston Bees]

 

[Pembroke]

I can 100% confirm it was an Asian Hornet nest. The 2nd one I have dealt with this year. The team responded, tracked and traced it, had it killed and removed.
We are good at telling the difference between the Hornets.
We had over 10,000 reports last year with 1 confirmed nest, most of the reports were clearly of other insects, we need beekeepers to understand what they look like first and foremost and they can help educate the public.
Rubbish comments like yours don't help anyone.
Enjoy the dark months and I hope you and your bees do well.

Hi Peter, you probably don't know the answer to this, and to be honest I doubt the NBU do either but do you know if the varroa mite affects the AH as they both hail originally from the same part of the world, or are there other specific parasites on the hornets that we may need to be aware of over the coming years?

 

[Boston Bees]

I can 100% confirm it was an Asian Hornet nest. The 2nd one I have dealt with this year. The team responded, tracked and traced it, had it killed and removed.
We are good at telling the difference between the Hornets.
We had over 10,000 reports last year with 1 confirmed nest, most of the reports were clearly of other insects, we need beekeepers to understand what they look like first and foremost and they can help educate the public.
Rubbish comments like yours don't help anyone.
Enjoy the dark months and I hope you and your bees do well.

Rather sanctimonious, but fair enough.

 

[Brian Bush]

Oops. I obviously move in less exalted circles.

Pete is one of the good guys.

 

[Pete D]

Hi Peter, you probably don't know the answer to this, and to be honest I doubt the NBU do either but do you know if the varroa mite affects the AH as they both hail originally from the same part of the world, or are there other specific parasites on the hornets that we may need to be aware of over the coming years?

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.