"Asian Hornet" seen in Cornwall

[Beefriendly]

I'm waiting for some enterprising folks to create a trap that catches them live then gases them to sleep so we can paint them,

No need to gas them stick them in the fridge for half an hour or so. Paint and stick back in the sun. Might be more tricky at out apiaries, but coolbox would do as a fridge.

 

[B+.]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/asian-hornet-identified-in-cornwall

 

[Stiffy]

Email confirmation

Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina) identified in Cornwall
Dear Beekeeper,

The National Bee Unit has confirmed that a suspect specimen caught in a beekeeper's monitoring trap in the Fowey area of South Cornwall is the Asian hornet, Vespa velutina. More information can be found in the Defra press release.

What Can I Do?
Familiarise yourself with the Asian Hornet using our useful guides:
Asian hornet information pages of BeeBase
Asian hornet ID sheet
Asian hornet poster
'How to obtain a sample' guidance
Monitor for its arrival using monitoring traps in your apiaries:
We have produced a useful guidance note and video on how to make a monitoring trap.
Ensure your BeeBase records are up to date with apiary locations:
We encourage you to use the online functionality to update your apiary records and also record if Asian Hornet traps are situated in an apiary.
Guidance on how to update your records can be found here.
Report any suspect sightings:
- with your smart phone or tablet, by using the ‘Asian hornet Watch’ app: for Android and iOS devices.
- online at: http://www.brc.ac.uk/risc/alert.php?species=asian_hornet
- by email to: [email protected] . Please include as much information as possible in your email; where you saw the sighting, your name and contact details and if possible an image.

We thank you in advance for your co-operation and continued vigilance.

National Bee Unit

Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). This email and any attachments are intended for the named recipient only. If you have received it in error you have no authority to use, disclose, store or copy any of its contents and you should destroy it and inform the sender. Although this email and associated attachments will have been checked for viruses whilst within APHA systems, we cannot accept responsibility once it has left our systems. Communications on APHA computer systems may be monitored and/or recorded to secure the effective operation of the system and for lawful purposes.

 

[domino]

He quoted that there had been reports of bees dying close to a vets in Yorkshire. On examination it had been found that bees had been drinking the urine of the dogs at the vets and taking it back to their hives. The dogs of course had been treated for fleas at the vets and the fiprinil was still present in their urine.

If my hive dies how do I get this sort of CSI Yorkshire support? I'd love to watch them searching low and lower for puddles of dog wee.

 

[domino]

No need to gas them stick them in the fridge for half an hour or so. Paint and stick back in the sun. Might be more tricky at out apiaries, but coolbox would do as a fridge.

Ooh genius. Do you catch them in a net?

I was looking for an excuse to buy a battery cool box. Any luck they'll find and bump off this sucker - don't that have tracking chips for hornets now.

 

[Beefriendly]

Ooh genius. Do you catch them in a net?

Non around me to practice on at this moment in time!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm waiting for some enterprising folks to create a trap that catches them live then gases them to sleep so we can paint them,

How about that CO2 gizmo for varroa counts

 

[charlievictorbravo]

I've offered the assistance of our Dads' Army AHAT but have not had a call back.

Amateurs taking the place and powers of the professionals is fraught with problems but I can still see a role for amateur observers - "patrol the area bounded by these four roads, looking out for Asian Hornets. If you see one, report it immediately and try to get a flight direction. Stay on footways, footpaths or other public land. Do not enter private property." Job done!

As somebody has pointed out, if the NBU gets 10 simultaneous confirmed reports of Asian Hornets, they'll be only too pleased to get help from beekeepers, so why not develop methods and protocols during this 'Phoney War' period to sort out the issues that arise from beekeepers working with the NBU's Bee Inspectors?

CVB

 

[madasafish]

I've offered the assistance of our Dads' Army AHAT but have not had a call back.

Amateurs taking the place and powers of the professionals is fraught with problems but I can still see a role for amateur observers - "patrol the area bounded by these four roads, looking out for Asian Hornets. If you see one, report it immediately and try to get a flight direction. Stay on footways, footpaths or other public land. Do not enter private property." Job done!

As somebody has pointed out, if the NBU gets 10 simultaneous confirmed reports of Asian Hornets, they'll be only too pleased to get help from beekeepers, so why not develop methods and protocols during this 'Phoney War' period to sort out the issues that arise from beekeepers working with the NBU's Bee Inspectors?

CVB

Far too sensible an approach to be considered..

 

[Beefriendly]

Does anyone have any information as to who or how it/them was/were "discovered"? Beekeeper/dog walker/ etc.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Does anyone have any information as to who or how it/them was/were "discovered"? Beekeeper/dog walker/ etc.

Beekeeper caught it in a wasp trap Friday afternoon

 

[ShinySideUp]

Does anyone have any information as to who or how it/them was/were "discovered"? Beekeeper/dog walker/ etc.

Be very worried about dog-walkers, they are always finding bodies; I suspect it is them that are killing people so they can 'find' them.

I am a bee-keeping dog-walker -- be afraid, be very afraid. Muhahahaha!

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Beekeeper caught it in a wasp trap Friday afternoon

The NBU website says it was found in a beekeeper's monitoring trap but they might just be saying that because they want us all to put up monitoring traps - wouldn't look so good if they said it was a wasp killing trap.

CVB

 

[Karol]

If the did they might risk falling foul of the biocides directive.

 

[Beefriendly]

Beekeeper caught it in a wasp trap Friday afternoon

Cheers...
Wasp trap will mean accidentally spotted.

 

[Ian123]

any hornet that goes in a wasp trap now days deserves a second look. I wonder if there is a nest down there if they’ve already produced queens

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

A monitoring trap is a trap designed to catch wasps (of which AH is a species of) unless you check it at least once a day and release all the bycatch alive, then it's just a wasp trap.

 

[Codford]

Does anyone know what bait was used in the wasp trap that caught the AH? Are we still talking about “sweet” bait - or should be be now looking to switch to protein bait (e.g. prawns)?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Protein now apparently.
Stinks after a few days as well I'm told

 

[Trunkles]

We will know if NBU are serious about setting up some cooperation between AHATs and them when They have had their promised meeting together to discuss cooperation, so maybe there is hope yet that beekeepers will get involved. We know from the number of volunteers Devon BKA have had on Jersey at the same time as Mr Semmence that NBU know we have good experience of doing the job now.....maybe even more expertise than inspectors!

I would like to know if the Beekpr who reported Fowey Hornet is a member of BKA since he seems to be off radar to his local AHAT!