Asian Hornets

[fian]

So all that is achieved is to disperse the hornets with no guarantee of killing the queen.

I am only a small beekeeper and my main activity is the sale of edible products in general and as you can understand I have no commercial interest in traps. On the other hand, you, being a pharmacist, could market the formula (if there were a legal provision for generic authorization) I think you have more partisan/economic possibilities than me.
Said this as a note and focusing on the basis of the matter:
1. You blame me for needing a trap network, but in one of your comments you also blame its use in a cooperative manner to prevent reproductive islands from remaining that sustain the reinvasion.
2. You saw the image of the explosion, do you think there would be any surviving velutina? Furthermore, this would be done from June to October, which is when secondary nests are searched for and eliminated. From March to June we use traps to capture queens.

 

[mazzamazda]

It is a pole of about 20 m, at the upper end it has a firecracker with an explosive that is activated from the bottom by releasing a small spark into the detonator of the firecracker.
Photo of the explosion and the pole.

My observations in PT no need science at all behind it.

1. People who trap have hoenets

2. People who wait for authorities still have hornets

3. People who use harps still have hornets

4. I am hornet free.

I had many Portuguese beekeepers/customers visit me and ask do you not have hornets here. As I have said before I don’t argue about whether it’s effective.

I have many pics and videos I can post, I’ll get onto it this week.

 

[fian]

My question to your method is the following (as I have already reiterated in several publications):
1. It represents a partial weakening of the secondary nest.
2. Leaves remains of fipronil in nature without its recovery being possible unless the completely inactivated nest is removed.
3. Reinvasion is not avoided in the following season.

 

[Karol]

I am only a small beekeeper and my main activity is the sale of edible products in general and as you can understand I have no commercial interest in traps. On the other hand, you, being a pharmacist, could market the formula (if there were a legal provision for generic authorization) I think you have more partisan/economic possibilities than me.

I sell wasp traps which I patented across the world. I refuse to sell traps for velutina. Doesn't that strike you as strange especially because eradication as a strategy destroys future business?

Said this as a note and focusing on the basis of the matter:
1. You blame me for needing a trap network, but in one of your comments you also blame its use in a cooperative manner to prevent reproductive islands from remaining that sustain the reinvasion.

Why is it that you won't listen to Mazzamazda?

2. You saw the image of the explosion, do you think there would be any surviving velutina?

Yes because many will be insulated from the blast by the different layers of the nest and because hornets have an exoskeleton.

Furthermore, this would be done from June to October, which is when secondary nests are searched for and eliminated. From March to June we use traps to capture queens.

And you still have a raging hornet problem. Square peg round hole.

 

[rolande]

@fian

To be clear, are you suggesting that we, in the UK, should do the same as you? If so why? When you've stressed previously that you're losing the battle. Or have I misunderstood your earlier posts?

 

[WoodenBeam]

Mazzamazda my moneys with you so please don’t leave the forum anytime soon. That said I think an open mind approach and I will say the National Bee Unit folks are doing a cracking job at present.

 

[mazzamazda]

Added a few video’s here. Will add more as I go along. They show the mixture, hornet free, a hornet hawking and i’m trying to show one of how I do it, not the easiest to film.

 

[fian]

@fian

To be clear, are you suggesting that we, in the UK, should do the same as you? If so why? When you've stressed previously that you're losing the battle. Or have I misunderstood your earlier posts?

In the end, the lowest cost and environmentally sustainable solution is to integrate the Asian hornet into its ecological niche and promote all possible palliative measures. There is no “final solution” that will eradicate an invasive species.

 

[rolande]

In the end, the lowest cost and environmentally sustainable solution is to integrate the Asian hornet into its ecological niche and promote all possible palliative measures. There is no “final solution” that will eradicate an invasive species.

Well, it's ecological niche is in Asia.

 

[mazzamazda]

 

[mazzamazda]

 

[mazzamazda]

 

[mazzamazda]

 

[mazzamazda]

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It is a pole of about 20 m, at the upper end it has a firecracker

 

[mazzamazda]

Here is one of our local VV nests, discovered in the winter of 2018, 100m from their main food source. Observations, small secondary nest, around 20-25cm. To me proof the method works, no other reason the nest failed.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I am only a small beekeeper

so get a longer pole

 

[Karol]

In the end, the lowest cost and environmentally sustainable solution is to integrate the Asian hornet into its ecological niche and promote all possible palliative measures. There is no “final solution” that will eradicate an invasive species.

Strewth!

Integrate a human introduced invasive species by sticking two fingers up at the indigenous flora and fauna. How ecologically considerate of you.

Seems that your promotion of palliative measures is going with a bang!

 

[citybees]

There is also a legal requirement that cannot be ignored.
Who is the owner of the nest of velutinas that you intend to decimate?
Basically because the legislation establishes that there must be a signed informed consent.
https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/formulary/frontmatter/exotic-pets/theprescribingcascade

Would that be the NBU team that finds the nest can claim ownership?

 

[rampino]

One of the things that contributed to the spread of AH in France is the fact that a property owner might have to pay for nest removal. Thus a disincentive to reporting nests if they were not bothering the property owners.
Hopefully in the U.K. nest removal will remain free of charge and bureaucracy will be kept to a minimum.
I’m with Mazzamazda on the issue of Fipronil. The amount being used on the hornets seems insignificant compared to the amount used to treat dogs for fleas. I spoke to a beekeeper near St Malo this summer and he was catching the hornets in a fishing net and putting a very small drop of neat Fipronil on their backs. He said that this considerably reduced the number of AH predating his hives.