Asian hornet: policy re destroying secondary nests

[Amari]

I vaguely remember recently reading that in ?Jersey ?France that the AH teams are giving up destroying the secondary nests. Or am I imagining it?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Seems a bit strange. The secondary nest is the one that produces gynes.
Unless you mean now when queens and drones would be long gone

 

[Amari]

Seems a bit strange. The secondary nest is the one that produces gynes.
Unless you mean now when queens and drones would be long gone

Thanks, I'm probably mistaken.

 

[Tony Warren]

Thanks, I'm probably mistaken.

You are correct to a degree. In periods of high workload/demand the secondary nests were treated to kill them but were not immediately taken down. The removal of a high level nest, in particular, is time consuming and costly so then routine removal is under review.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

All you need is a flamethower drone. Simples.



Not very reassuring that this exists in the world.

 

[Erichalfbee]

In periods of high workload/demand the secondary nests were treated to kill them

So, they were destroyed?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

All you need is a flamethower drone. Simples.



Not very reassuring that this exists in the world.

Amazing what having opposable thumbs can achieve.

 

[Karol]

All you need is a flamethower drone. Simples.



Not very reassuring that this exists in the world.

And they still blame the fires in Spain on climate change!

 

[fian]

All you need is a flamethower drone. Simples.



Not very reassuring that this exists in the world.

But do you need a drone for something that a gunpowder cartridge does?

 

[ericbeaumont]

secondary nests were treated to kill them but were not immediately taken down

In theory, that will allow other wildlife to rob and take pesticide elsewhere. How do the authorities reconcile that policy with prevailing legislation that seeks to prevent collateral pesticide poisoning, and poison entering the food chain?

Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 Part 3/16

 

[Tony Warren]

In theory, that will allow other wildlife to rob and take pesticide elsewhere. How do the authorities reconcile that policy with prevailing legislation that seeks to prevent collateral pesticide poisoning, and poison entering the food chain?

Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 Part 3/16

Yep it is a problem but there are only so many Cherry pickers and tree climbers available. It's a difficult circle to square, do you leave it untreated and risk queen being released, or treat it and come back to it in a few days? It is complex, sometimes you have to choose the least worst option.

 

[Erichalfbee]

sometimes you have to choose the least worst option

Maybe Fian’s idea of shooting them down isn’t so bad after all?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

depends on what you're smoking at the time I suppose

 

[fian]

It is not my idea, I simply said that one of the Galician methods consists of a gunshot cartridge that can be fired from a firearm without putting the shooter at risk. This method involves at least 2 shots, one for the projectile with gunpowder and fuel that ignites the entire nest and the second as an ignition shot.
In another post there is an image with the result.
Regarding whether or not to remove the nests, it is a matter of personnel and if there are not any, it is already taking the authorities, nbu and bbka to instruct a sufficient number of people, at least a group of 5 people per existing local bbka or for each county. and especially now that the season begins to decline.
It would also be useful to use box traps with remains of the nest in remote locations since the emergence of queens occurs in their vicinity and they are prone to reuse the material so in a way it can be more specific than other configurations.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Apologies. Delete idea and replace with report

 

[OldFarm]

Richard Noel showed an asian hornet nest that had been left for a week after the asian hornets had been killed. There was a small mouse, dead inside the nest from feasting on the dead larvae. Left in place, the chain of death could be significant.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

so far on this thread we have seen no fact, just hearsay and opinion

 

[Erichalfbee]

so far on this thread we have seen no fact, just hearsay and opinion

That’s because the Bee Inspectors are sensibly staying out of it.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

And they still blame the fires in Spain on climate change!

I understand flamethrowers sold out quickly after they came onto the US market.