Asian Hornets

[OldFarm]

Really haven't the time at present. I will definitely watch it but had hoped for a simple explanation in the meantime.

Being confined to the hive is stressful. They can't get out to collect water to cool the hive, so temperature control is compromised. The odour of the hornets in close proximity to the hive stresses the bees. Targeting of the hives is in the autumn when the winter bees are being produced, in response to the hornet odour the queen goes off lay, production of winter bees is compromised. The bees are unhappy with the queen being off lay and attempt to supersede, which is in turn compromised by hawking of hornets at the hive entrance.

Putting skirting down to the floor to stop hornets hanging around under the hive helps, put muzzles on the front so that the bees can land also helps. Minimise the apiary smell, don’t leave hives open to frames exposed. Grow grass long in front of the hive this reduces hawking and enable the bees to hide. Screen off sides and under land boards of hives - hornet lurking places. Use a solid floor or put in the insert board at times of predation (reduces olfactory signature). Hornets under the hives stress the bees. Groups of hives (5 - 10) manage better than solitary hives. La Museliere is a wire structure (muzzle) placed in front of the hive, using 13mm square mesh (half inch) enable the bees to create a safe landing zone, foraging is able to continue, there are other options to the wire structure.

Well worth watching the Andrew Durham talks, fascinating.

 

[OldFarm]

The discovery of nests seems to have significantly increased in pace over the last couple of weeks from looking at the NBU rolling updates. Still mostly in coastal locations and clustered around ports, by the looks of it, but there are a few that are more inland. Those appear to be clustered around roads such as the M2 and M25. Perhaps it should be expected that nests may be found in proximity to the major traffic routes if the queens are being brought over in freight?

James

Also more reporting on more populated traffic routes. What's going on in the more rural areas will not be observed.

 

[OldFarm]

Returning honeybee foragers are, apparently, their favourite food.

It's easier to feed at the buffet, the hive is the buffet. It seems they favour insects that can be found in large numbers in one place, carrion flies also featured highly on the menu. Makes sense, why chase around for food when you don't have to.

 

[OldFarm]

Why would the hornets not also have taken the wasps, I wonder?

James

Wasps are another popular food source for AH

 

[JamezF]

Wasps are another popular food source for AH

My point exactly.

James

 

[rolande]

Being confined to the hive is stressful. They can't get out to collect water to cool the hive, so temperature control is compromised. The odour of the hornets in close proximity to the hive stresses the bees. Targeting of the hives is in the autumn when the winter bees are being produced, in response to the hornet odour the queen goes off lay, production of winter bees is compromised. The bees are unhappy with the queen being off lay and attempt to supersede, which is in turn compromised by hawking of hornets at the hive entrance.

Putting skirting down to the floor to stop hornets hanging around under the hive helps, put muzzles on the front so that the bees can land also helps. Minimise the apiary smell, don’t leave hives open to frames exposed. Grow grass long in front of the hive this reduces hawking and enable the bees to hide. Screen off sides and under land boards of hives - hornet lurking places. Use a solid floor or put in the insert board at times of predation (reduces olfactory signature). Hornets under the hives stress the bees. Groups of hives (5 - 10) manage better than solitary hives. La Museliere is a wire structure (muzzle) placed in front of the hive, using 13mm square mesh (half inch) enable the bees to create a safe landing zone, foraging is able to continue, there are other options to the wire structure.

Well worth watching the Andrew Durham talks, fascinating.

Your explanation in the first paragraph most certainly isn't what was being claimed, hence my questions regarding the very specific instance that was being discussed.

Block under the hives? My hives are on the ground where I can kneel down to inspect them.

As I stated in a later post, I have now watched the videos linked, a week ago today.

 

[Dolo]

The non-beekeeping population seem keen to become involved in watching out for velutina, not least because the mainstream media are fanning their fears. The media's sensationalist and often inaccurate approach is useful, nevertheless. On the Isle of Wight, mindful of the situation in Jersey, there is now a Facebook group encouraging people to submit reports with photos of what they feel may be an AH. Why it isn't an AH is then explained with a view to honing their identification skills each time, thereby preventing the unnecessary slaughter of crabros and others. So far, so good, people are truly helpful and a 1000 negatives sightings are preferable to 1 real one, but in the event of an actual sighting, it will then immediately be escalated to the experts.
For those who feel Facebook savvy enough to do it, I would strongly recommend setting up such localised groups. Both for education and watchfulness.

 

[North End Bees]

For those who feel Facebook savvy enough to do it, I would strongly recommend setting up such localised groups.

I'm sure Facebook has its place but lots of people steer clear of it for reasons other than they're not savvy enough.

 

[rolande]

The non-beekeeping population seem keen to become involved in watching out for velutina

The very first sighting, prior to mine, on Portland was by a non beekeeping honey eater. Very good, descriptive report too but sadly without a photo.

 

[Karol]

The Gard'Apis trap has a choice of entrance plugs with different diameters.
https://www.gardapis.co.uk/index.php/product/complete-hornet-trap-kit/

From what I can see of images of the trap in use it will catch non target queens if used in spring trapping.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

For those who feel Facebook savvy enough to do it, I would strongly recommend setting up such localised groups. Both for education and watchfulness.

there is already a national one - administered by knowledgeable entomologists, some who actually verify indentifications for the NBU.
having loads of 'local' pages is only going to muddy the waters and stop getting the information getting to official agencies

 

[Erichalfbee]

there is already a national one - administered by knowledgeable entomologists, some who actually verify indentifications for the NBU.
having loads of 'local' pages is only going to muddy the waters and stop getting the information getting to official agencies

U.K. Bees Wasps and Ants

 

[rolande]

Im not convinced that local pages will cause any more confusion, the process is simple enough; if you see one, report it.

I'm pretty certain every local area is capable of producing a handful of people who are equally as capable of making an id as anyone else the issue seems to be the condescending tone of some members who aren't administrators, I know that there's one Asian Hornet id page (not sure if it's the one mentioned above) that seems to have regular posts asking members to go easier on people asking questions. Now, if a person goes onto a page and that's the first kind of post they see they'll probably just shrug their shoulders and scroll on.

 

[Karol]

I forsee custard being employed regardless. Let's face it straight OA is also illegal but it gets used under the radar (or so I'm lead to believe)

What I can share is the method that Mazzamazda perfected back in 2017 and deployed with success in Portugal.

Formulation:

50g sugar
15ml hot water
1 egg yolk

Frontline (Fipronil) 0.25% w/v fipronil

Just a note, the 0.25%w/v fibronil specified by madzzmazda is the spray, not the stuff you put on the neck of cats/dogs. That is 10% so you would well overdose the custard and probably kill the dabbed hornet!


Preparation:

Mix sugar into hot water, cool, then slowly add syrup to egg yolk and mix well.

Take 5ml (1tsp) of custard and in a small receptacle add 10 drops of Frontline (Fipronil) and stir well. Mixture is effective for up to 3 hours and loses potency by 6 hours.


Method:

Stun Asian hornet with an Executioner Pro. Whilst stunned apply fipronil custard to Asian hornet thorax. Hornet will come round after a few minutes and fly back to the nest. Note: no requirement to 'catch' the hornet.

Where there is heavy infestation a high number of hornets will need to be treated daily until numbers fall not least because they likely will be coming from different nests. As infestation numbers drop, it is important to monitor and continue to treat to prevent resurgence especially in following seasons.

The final concentration of fipronil in the fipronil custard is of the order of 0.015%w/v.

Tips:

Validate the formulation before use to check it is working by feeding the freshly prepared fipronil custard (i.e. less than 1 hour old) to a captured hornet. The hornet should die. Similarly, feed a captured hornet with aged/stale fipronil custard (circa 12 hours old) and the hornet should survive. After the test kill the captured hornet. Do not release. Failure to validate the formulation could result in wasted time and effort and result in lack of success.

The virgin custard can be stored in a fridge overnight for subsequent use but should be warmed to ambient temperature before adding fipronil.


Disclaimer: The above is provided for information/reference only. No formal recommendation is being made and I take no responsibility for individuals failing to adhere to local rules and regulations concerning the use of pesticides off label.

Moderator addition - I don't think anyone without the necessary knowledge or experience to administer Fipronil Custard would consider making or using this stuff ... it's here for interest only NOT a suggestion for use.

 

[ericbeaumont]

750 nests worth of insect prey will be released into the local ecology for velutina to exploit.

If cold winter weather reduced hibernation survival to 0.0033% (your imaginary rate) would it be reasonable to assume that other insect survival would decline similarly, and that velutina spring prey would not be the excess quoted? In other words, does predator and prey winter survival follow a similar pattern?

 

[Vanterrier]

Regarding reporting sightings, I downloaded this app from the link in the report of sightings in Northumberland (in April'23) and wonder if it is in wide use???
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.ac.ceh.hornets&pcampaignid=web_shareThe attraction for me is I am not on FB or Twitter.
K

 

[pargyle]

From what I can see of images of the trap in use it will catch non target queens if used in spring trapping.

Being very much in the front line down here on the South Coast I've been taking an interest in the Asian Hornet since the first one was found in the UK a few years ago .. we appear to have gone through various incarnations of what we (as beekeepers) should actually be doing ... the advice (at present) from the best sources appears to be know what you are looking for, watch out for them, get a photo if you see one and report it.

Just out of interest (and a very rare occurrence) I had a look at what the BBKA has to say and from their section in their website on the hornet there's a 15 minute video about making a (very elaborate) "Monitoring Trap" which, as far as I can ascertain will probably trap every insect species interested in whatever bait you choose to put in there.

I'm a bit disappointed that our National Association appears to have little or no understanding of what is currently required and their social media manager appears to be reliant upon a third party to provide a statement to the press. You would think that they would have a pre-prepared, factual, hard hitting statement with photos that they could distribute to local press wherever and whenever a nest is found ...

You will have to add in the usual BBKA org website address as it's not a website we encourage members to visit.

https://***************/faqs/how-to-make-an-asian-hornet-trap

For what it's worth - there is even less information available in the NBU website. Are we being just a bit complacent about educating beekeeper and the public to this growing menace ?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Im not convinced that local pages will cause any more confusion, the process is simple enough; if you see one, report it.

the problem is, many will think that 'reporting' it to your local FB page is sufficient, the truth is, some self important 'expert' may confirm but not report it on the official AH app - which means it will never get to the NBU. I have no doubt that this is happening already.

 

[Dolo]

Whilst everyone is entitled to their view, there is no doubt that the term 'entomologist' means little to most people and the specialist Apps are not something they choose to engage with.
Facebook, whilst not ideal, is a much used medium by those that could be described as non-specialist where insects are concerned. What they need, especially with the media interest developing, is to be able to verify what they are seeing.
What we need is to verify that they are not seeing Asian Hornets and - if just one such instance occurs - then their post will be worthwhile for every beekeeper in the area.
Education in identification for as many as possible is the key and that is why Facebook as a general - and popular - populace resource can be one facet of many in this developing situation.

 

[Brian Bush]

Facebook yesterday: Asian Hornet spotted in Chinnor Oxfordshire.
This was forwarded to me by another beek. There was also a picture of an Asian Hornet.
I did a little research this morning. I don't use Facebook but understand that many do.
I contacted the Care Home where the hornet was spotted. Speaking to the duty manager, this report had stirred up a 'Hornets Nest' and his superiors had been in contact.
I talked to him on the phone. This was difficult due to his poor English and my deafness.
There is an area of ivy in flower attracting all sorts of insects. The gentleman went outside and photographed the only one present and it was a honey bee.
Meanwhile my younger friend, a Facebook expert had contacted the person who had made the initial posting and he rang me.
He described what he had seen, clearly a European Hornet, and said he had taken the Facebook picture of VV from an internet source.
He was most willing to correct his error and was posting on Facebook and explanation and his mistake.
This wasted 2 hours of my time and I hope no-one has reported using Asian Hornet Watch App or hours of other peoples time will be wasted.