Asian Hornet Presentation at National Honey Show

[fian]

A Karol:
In Galicia (Spain) the velutina has been delayed but its presence is beginning to be noticed at altitudes of 800 m and the magnitude of the population on the coast is due to the fact that they have milder climates than inland areas.
Regarding your ruling that there are no founding queens in the UK, I would question it at least on the Kent-London line and even more so after the 2023 NBU count, too many nests and too far from the coast to be flying queens of the continent.
Finally, I find the attempt to hide the method behind the acronym FC to be regrettable as if this would minimize its legal or environmental implications.

 

[almostBees]

There were strong easterly winds early in the year which some think is the reason for so many on the south-east coast.

Away from there, the sources of the hornets are human transport - one AH was seen on a ferry hitching a ride, but one can easily imagine Queen AH tagging along on holiday makers cars/caravans coming back from the continent. One AH found "up north" was found in a crate of cauliflower at a local produce market, only this cauliflower was local to France.

Its that combination which gives us hope that there are no/very few foundresses left in the UK - its certainly not a ruling.

 

[JamezF]

one AH was seen on a ferry hitching a ride

I think that was on a ferry that was returning to France though. Clearly it had come here, taken one look at Poole and decided that France was actually nicer.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I would question it at least on the Kent-London line and even more so after the 2023 NBU count, too many nests and too far from the coast to be flying queens of the continent.

you obviously haven't read the reports properly, taken into account the were around canalised pinch point such as ferry ports, clearance depots etc, prevailing winds in the worst affected areas or their near vicinity to the French coast

 

[Karol]

I meant that just as generic oxalic is used with disregard for the "law" so will FC be once/if beekeepers are left to fight on their own

I understand the point that you were trying to make but in the case of FC there simply isn't any law to disregard. Put it another way, if a beekeeper were to use FC privately then there is no law presently on the statutes that the beekeeper could be prosecuted under as far as I can see. (Same disclaimer applies that any person who uses FC does so at their own personal jeopardy). It would also require someone particularly motivated to press such a case which is highly unlikely to happen in the absence of a law to be breached.

 

[Garry R]

Ask yourselves why VV hasn't spread further East on mainland Europe?

Nothing wants to get close to Russia out of choice........

 

[Mint Bee]

I understand the point that you were trying to make but in the case of FC there simply isn't any law to disregard. Put it another way, if a beekeeper were to use FC privately then there is no law presently on the statutes that the beekeeper could be prosecuted under as far as I can see. (Same disclaimer applies that any person who uses FC does so at their own personal jeopardy). It would also require someone particularly motivated to press such a case which is highly unlikely to happen in the absence of a law to be breached.

I think its not as clear cut as that with regards to the off label use of Fipronil and release into the environment. What is clear is that if a non native species is caught, it is against the law to release this creature back in to the wild. If I recall correctly, the inspectors carry out tracking releases under specific licenses.

In reality I agree that the outline treatment is unlikely to be an issue, unless someone documents the whole procedure and posts it on social media. However there are plenty of stupid people out there.

JFDI

 

[Oculentum]

What is clear is that if a non native species is caught, it is against the law to release this creature back in to the wild

So don't catch it - just let it settle on a bait station, dab it with whatever while it is feeding, and let it fly when it chooses to do so. It hasn't been caught and it hasn't been released.

 

[Karol]

I think its not as clear cut as that with regards to the off label use of Fipronil and release into the environment. What is clear is that if a non native species is caught, it is against the law to release this creature back in to the wild. If I recall correctly, the inspectors carry out tracking releases under specific licenses.

In reality I agree that the outline treatment is unlikely to be an issue, unless someone documents the whole procedure and posts it on social media. However there are plenty of stupid people out there.

JFDI

Define release?
The prosecuting party (if ever there was one) would have a hard time proving that a worker having been treated with fipronil and consequently is destined to die because of that treatment, is being "released" into the environment.
What is more the process does not require capture (i.e. physical containment).

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Define release?
The prosecuting party (if ever there was one) would have a hard time proving that a worker having been treated with fipronil and consequently is destined to die because of that treatment, is being "released" into the environment.
What is more the process does not require capture (i.e. physical containment).

I'm rapidly developing the idea we could end up with a force of maquis operating in secrecy sending out poison bearing AH while the gestapo roam the areas in motorcycle and machine gun carrying sidecars seeking out the offenders.

 

[Oculentum]

I'm rapidly developing the idea we could end up with a force of maquis operating in secrecy sending out poison bearing AH while the gestapo roam the areas in motorcycle and machine gun carrying sidecars seeking out the offenders.

And we all know how that turned out for the gestapo last time

 

[JamezF]

Do we get to tie ropes between trees on either side of the roads?

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do we get to tie ropes between trees on either side of the roads?

James

piano wire is better
More impressive anyway

 

[Erichalfbee]

piano wire is better
More impressive anyway

Do you have a reliable and cheap supplier?

 

[Oculentum]

@pargyle can probably supply for a price (yet to be negotiated)

 

[Newbeeneil]

@pargyle can probably supply for a price (yet to be negotiated)

If it’s from Argyle Enterprises it will be made from spiderweb and be sold for a vast profit!!!!

 

[Karol]

I'm rapidly developing the idea we could end up with a force of maquis operating in secrecy sending out poison bearing AH while the gestapo roam the areas in motorcycle and machine gun carrying sidecars seeking out the offenders.

Oh crap! Sorry guys. My research was incomplete. FC is illegal. It breaks Godwin's law.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Oh crap! Sorry guys. My research was incomplete. FC is illegal. It breaks Godwin's law.

Happily there are countless threads here where the law doesn't apply

 

[fian]

Velutina nests removed in Galicia
2013. 17
2014. 941
2015. 5.045
2016. 8.496
2017. 23.791
2018. 26.006
2019. 22.023
2020. 16.760
2021. 17.857
2022. 22.223
2023. 29.229
This year's data corresponds to December 1.
We will see how the UK goes next year but the NBU should activate a very specific protocol in the Devon area.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

the NBU should activate a very specific protocol in the Devon area.

why?