Asian Hornet update

[simonforeman]

I know there's a recent thread on this but some things are important to bring to the attention of everybody

It has just been on the local news (Look North) that the asian hornet found in Bury on a cauli was from Boston and the cauli was localy grown NOT imported. Goverment Scientists are now in the boston area apparently

The headline was "Lincolnshire invaded by Asian hornets"

Lets hope they find the nest if there is one and destroy it quick.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If there is a nest it will be a small primary nest and impossible to find except by accident. The large nests people are familiar with are found much much later in the year. Luckily the chances of a single queen surviving to establish her colony are slim.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I know there's a recent thread on this but some things are important to bring to the attention of everybody

It has just been on the local news (Look North) that the asian hornet found in Bury on a cauli was from Boston and the cauli was localy grown NOT imported. Goverment Scientists are now in the boston area apparently

The headline was "Lincolnshire invaded by Asian hornets"

Lets hope they find the nest if there is one and destroy it quick.

Nothing new there - all that information was on the first thread.
The cauli wasn't imported but the packing plant that processed it apparently also deals with imports.
There won't be a nest as everyone thinks of at this time of year, wherever she came from it will be a queen fresh from hibernation, if she has already started the primary nest it will look very much the same as a fresh wasp nest the size of a golf ball or thereabouts, usually made in an outbuilding or tree crevice/mouse nest etc - so everyone should be checking their sheds, empty hives, bait hives etc.
SBI's were mobilised in both areas over the weekend.

 

[Hivemaker.]

It could well be that the Hornet rode over here on an imported cauliflower then jumped ship onto a locally grown cauliflower.

 

[Barbarian]

Lancashire Keep here.

Please could we have a link to the video about making a hornet trap as posted when Tetbury happened ? Also bait to go in it ?

 

[Karol]

I honestly think that's the wrong knee jerk reaction. Setting traps in spring that kill indigenous hornet and wasp queens IMHO will open the door to VV becoming established because you will be removing local competition that is far more likely to be effective at supressing VV.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Lancashire Keep here.

Please could we have a link to the video about making a hornet trap as posted when Tetbury happened ? Also bait to go in it ?

It’s on the NBU site. It is a live catch trap and HAS to be emptied daily not just set up and forgotten which as Karol points out will catch indigenous fauna and is totally irresponsible. I’ve never seen such hysteria! I was at a very good lecture delivered by prof Steve Martin this last weekend. He had a slide of things caught in a trap where hornets already are. There was thousands of other stuff including bees and only four hornets!

 

[birdsandbees]

I honestly think that's the wrong knee jerk reaction. Setting traps in spring that kill indigenous hornet and wasp queens IMHO will open the door to VV becoming established because you will be removing local competition that is far more likely to be effective at supressing VV.

I absolutely agree! I have said the same to a few local Beekeepers that have said that they will be trapping and killing Hornets and Wasps.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It could well be that the Hornet rode over here on an imported cauliflower then jumped ship onto a locally grown cauliflower.

lots of discarded packaging etc. lying around at the processing plant.
apparently.....

 

[Erichalfbee]

lots of discarded packaging etc. lying around at the processing plant.
apparently.....

No point in speculation, you know.
It’s here and it’s going to eat all our bees!
We should all be out with blunderbusses shooting everything out of the trees !

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No point in speculation, you know.
It’s here and it’s going to eat all our bees!
We should all be out with blunderbusses shooting everything out of the trees !

The easiest solution is to blanket spray Lancashire and Lincolnshire with DDT.

I know there are issues with Physical and mental mutations but....

This might actually sort it out

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

It may have got here on Brussels sprouts. Be OK after Brexit.

 

[Barbarian]

I am confused.
On the BBKA website under Latest News there is a statement about Asian Hornet and Wasp traps
Is this the 'official' BBKA policy ? No traps ?

 

[Karol]

Eminently sensible. Setting traps in spring for VV is counter productive.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Eminently sensible. Setting traps in spring for VV is counter productive.

I agree, better to set them for queen wasps and save the lives of tonnes of other insect life, much of it endangered, like the heath fritillary butterfly, among others.

 

[alldigging]

I am confused.
On the BBKA website under Latest News there is a statement about Asian Hornet and Wasp traps
Is this the 'official' BBKA policy ? No traps ?

The photo of dead insects is taken from France where they use killing traps.
Use monitoring traps as the video from the NBU describes how to make but you need to be able to check them every day and release insects. Else it will become a killing trap.

 

[Beefriendly]

And yet another queen found.
https://www.gov.gg/article/164886/Queen-Asian-hornet-found
Although should add it's Guernsey, not mainland UK.

 

[Barbarian]

The SBOs are using the traps as sold by Thornes.
The makers say that the yellow colour of the solution is attractive to hornets.
Is there any point in me sticking hazard tape to my DIY traps built to the "Plenty of Honey"
design ?

 

[dpearce4]

add yellow food colour its cheaper

 

[Gilberdyke John]

The easiest solution is to blanket spray Lancashire and Lincolnshire with DDT.

I know there are issues with Physical and mental mutations but....

This might actually sort it out

Elton Musk sold $3.5 million worth of flamethrowers in one day. Maybe the US is preparing for a concerted response to insect invasion?