Asian Hornet update

[dpearce4]

Just a heads up for any beekeepers in the Westbourne/Emsworth area of Hants.

My father informed me that his neighbour believes that he killed an Asian hornet in the last couple of days. I have asked them for more information and as soon as I have any I will post again. I have also informed the Authorities.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They won't act unless the sighting is confirmed by the BWARS team - either a clearly identifiable photograph or an actual body.
Apparently there has been at least one false alarm when the team realised the photograph they were asked to identify was actually taken off the internet. The reporter had just downloaded a photo of what he thought he'd seen!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Looks like a couple of Asian hornets sighted in a garden in Dungeness. SBi's responding.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Looks like a couple of Asian hornets sighted in a garden in Dungeness. SBi's responding.

Yes good picture on FB, no mistake. Not a beekeeper either I think

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes good picture on FB, no mistake. Not a beekeeper either I think

Not that many sighting have been from beekeepers this year - a good thing in a way.

 

[SDM]

Not that many sighting have been from beekeepers this year - a good thing in a way.

Good that it shows a wider awareness of the issue, but an awareness that probably results in far more false alarms from non beekeepers.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Yes good picture on FB, no mistake. Not a beekeeper either I think

appears they have found three including a drone saturday

 

[Erichalfbee]

appears they have found three including a drone saturday

Yes. Matt Smith from BWARS says the one that flew in the window is male

 

[charlievictorbravo]

I suppose the Dungeness captures could have flown directly from France, a short hop across the channel with a southerly wind.

CVB

 

[birdsandbees]

some great pictures on that link, they are quite attractive looking things but I wouldn't want any!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I suppose the Dungeness captures could have flown directly from France, a short hop across the channel with a southerly wind.

CVB

My thoughts as well - I've checked the wind history for the last few days and it has been predominantly from the South/SSE, although a little bit more East in it would have made it more probable.

 

[Karol]

Yes. Matt Smith from BWARS says the one that flew in the window is male

Drones are very distinctive with nodular antennae. Females have smoother antennae with a defined inflection that they use as both a measuring stick and a protractor for building cells.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Drones are very distinctive with nodular antennae. Females have smoother antennae with a defined inflection that they use as both a measuring stick and a protractor for building cells.

Is this true whether they are diploid or haploid? I gather that there are a lot of diploid males produced, and therefore probably sterile, in the European population of Vespa velutina.

CVB

 

[MerryBee]

I suppose the Dungeness captures could have flown directly from France, a short hop across the channel with a southerly wind.

CVB

certainly not a lot of trees for building nests !

http://www.dungenessbirdobs.org.uk/

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

certainly not a lot of trees for building nests !

http://www.dungenessbirdobs.org.uk/

Nope - Always been a bit of a wasteland - physically as well as culturally

 

[Karol]

Is this true whether they are diploid or haploid?

As far as I'm aware.

Drones are produced from unfertilized eggs laid by queens who have mated with sibling drones and therefore have copies of cloned chromosomes leading to diploidy. This leaves the drones infertile but otherwise morphologically male.

I gather that there are a lot of diploid males produced, and therefore probably sterile, in the European population of Vespa velutina.

CVB

That is my understanding as well but some caution is needed because importation of VV from Asian is likely to be a recurrent phenomenon thereby strengthening the gene pool and reducing the incidence of diploid drones.

Another reason why the Mazzamazda method is so important because not only does it kill nests it also further weakens the gene pool increasing the likelihood of diploidy in drones inhibiting further successful reproduction.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Another reason why the Mazzamazda method is so important

You keep banging on about this - it's sounding more and more like a sales pitch by the day. Is this going to be the latest waspbane product?

 

[Finman]

Another reason why the Mazzamazda method is so important because not only does it kill nests it also further weakens the gene pool increasing the likelihood of diploidy in drones inhibiting further successful reproduction.

Such evolution.

Hive deaths inhibit reproduction....

.

 

[Repwoc]

Drones are produced from unfertilized eggs laid by queens who have mated with sibling drones ...

Isn't it more like:

Diploid Drones are produced from unfertilized eggs laid by a queen who's mother has mated with sibling (uncle) drones ...

ie diploid drones result from incestuous mating by the drones' grandparents (and/or previous generations?).

 

[Finman]

.
I do not understand what diploid drones has to do with excistence of asian wasp.

.