Asian Hornet - Update

[Bee Bumble]

Been asked if I could supply a couple of European Hornets and a couple of Asian Hornet queens for the members to see at the local association show tomorrow, so have just mounted a couple of each on a piece of white cardboard.

OK I will bite: Where did you get the Asian Hornet queens? Are they V. Velutina or V. Mandarinia?

 

[Plenty of honey]

Been asked if I could supply a couple of European Hornets and a couple of Asian Hornet queens for the members to see at the local association show tomorrow, so have just mounted a couple of each on a piece of white cardboard.

OK I will bite: Where did you get the Asian Hornet queens? Are they V. Velutina

That would be telling!!

 

[stevebrowning]

That would be telling!!

I know

 

[charlievictorbravo]

I've got a Asian Hornet (dead) that was given to me by a beekeeper in Brittany who I bought some honey from in a market. I take it to CBKA meetings to show other local beeks what to look out for. In the same box, I have a European Hornet for comparison.

Richard could probably do a nice little trade selling dean Asian Hornets to BKAs in the UK as training aids.

CVB

 

[Plenty of honey]

I've got a Asian Hornet (dead) that was given to me by a beekeeper in Brittany who I bought some honey from in a market. I take it to CBKA meetings to show other local beeks what to look out for. In the same box, I have a European Hornet for comparison.

Richard could probably do a nice little trade selling dean Asian Hornets to BKAs in the UK as training aids.

CVB

More than happy to send anyone some very dead Asian hornets for educational purposes. PM me and i will see what i can do. i actually seem to have more available mid spring when were trapping the queens as they die in a bath of attractant so their big and juicy. The summer workers are often so smashed ( by racket not alcohol) that their hardly worth bothering with.
Anyway another year or so and you will have plenty of your own!!!

 

[2_dive]

Found

http://www.adoptahive.co/asian-hornet-nest-found/

 

[Fritillary]

That last pic certainly shows why nests are difficult to find and to destroy!

 

[Erichalfbee]

http://www.adoptahive.co/asian-hornet-nest-found/

Thank you for that.
No wonder they are hard to spot...who looks up there?
It's amazing they survive high winds.

 

[Plenty of honey]

http://www.adoptahive.co/asian-hornet-nest-found/

certainly is a BFO Tree!! very well done to all concerned!! To all that have followed this thread, you can appreciate to just how difficult it is to locate said nests, its an absolute typical example. Good pics indeed.

 

[Barbarian]

I wonder if the NBU will make an educational video about the Asian Hornet and include how they have dealt with the Tetbury incident.

Such an item may help to secure future funding.

I can imagine there are independent programme makers wondering if they could make a saleable product.

 

[mazzamazda]

certainly is a BFO Tree!! very well done to all concerned!! To all that have followed this thread, you can appreciate to just how difficult it is to locate said nests, its an absolute typical example. Good pics indeed.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes. A good job. I have a tree just like that at the bottom of the garden. It will never look the same.

 

[mazzamazda]

I wonder if the NBU will make an educational video about the Asian Hornet and include how they have dealt with the Tetbury incident.

Such an item may help to secure future funding.

I can imagine there are independent programme makers wondering if they could make a saleable product.

I doubt it! Although a good result I think luck played a very big part, when I spoke to them on Wednesday morning they sounded desperate. Their only course of action seemed to be locating the nest, that is a lot of eggs in one basket, you cannot rely on finding a nest when this insect is an expert in concealment.

They called yesterday to say they are looking into some other options including Fiprinol.

 

[Karol]

I think the NBU deserve commending for their success. Very well done. I'm impressed. They should feel proud.

 

[Jimmys Mum]

I think the NBU deserve commending for their success. Very well done. I'm impressed. They should feel proud.

Indeed.

 

[Erichalfbee]

They called yesterday to say they are looking into some other options including Fiprinol.

Well I never. Well done. And good for you and Richard for offering some foot soldier advice

 

[MartinL]

I'm sorry to be gloomy but where would THAT have come from, and what does possible answers to the question tell us about whether it is alone.

It's all well and good back-slapping at this stage but; the only way to keep them out is to find out how they got here in the first place.

In order to achieve resolution to a problem you always need to establish root cause. Why Tetbury? Why September??? Why? Why? . .

Then put in place robust measures to prevent recurrence.

 

[mazzamazda]

I'm sorry to be gloomy but where would THAT have come from, and what does possible answers to the question tell us about whether it is alone.

I'm pretty confident there is only one nest after speaking to them yesterday, hornets from different nests fight, there was no fighting. Whether it has released queens is the major concern, its around Oct/Nov here so it must be tight for the UK, its a sizeable nest so who knows. Does anyone know what the weather been like in Tetbury the last few weeks?

 

[mazzamazda]

Well I never. Well done. And good for you and Richard for offering some foot soldier advice

Haha thanks, its in everyones interest really.

 

[Brian Bush]

Notwithstanding the destruction of the first nest, no doubt we'll ALL be urged to set up traps in the spring.

No doubt detailed advice will be forthcoming from the NBU. If Richard were to compile his advice, spread throughout this thread, into a Sticky, we'd all benefit.

I know it's traditional on this forum to knock anything that smacks of officialdom, but from what I've seen, the NBU and APHA have done a pretty good job on the ground so far - they've only been let down by being a little tardy with their public statements - beekeepers shouldn't have to scour the local press to find out what's happening.

CVB

Can Richard and our other European members compile a list of the precautions we should take from next year. Followed by a list of the actions we should take if the worst happens
.I think we should all have wasp traps next Spring. What is the most successful bait?
I am particularly interested in the stun and dose with insecticide solution but fear that the said insecticide will not be available without the VMA interfering. Some supplier will be out to make a killing and other snake oil salesmen will be peddling their wares at next year's sales and conventions.
Where do we acquire the insecticide and what is its name in the UK?
Do the fleabay electronic badminton racquets work on Asian Hornets or do we need something more powerful?
SWMBO asks whether I will be required to sit in an apiary everyday from dawn to dusk? She has a gleam in her eye!!!!

This thread has been one of the best reasons for belonging to this forum for a long time. It has engendered a real sense of community. Can we all try and maintain this spirit, respect of others views, with gentle banter, a healthy 'disrespect' for officialdom, and praise when it is due.