At what point will the NBU give up on AHs?

[OldFarm]

Given that there have been several confirmed sightings of Asian hornets already this year, I wonder at what point the NBU would hold their hands up and say that they can't deal with it any more? How many nests are we talking?

I sincerely hope that it doesn't ever reach that point, I'm just wondering.

On a side note, I was talking to a fruit and veg importer this afternoon and asked him about AHs on produce. His reply was that they aren't likely to see them because the produce is chilled in transit, so any insects move down into the produce for protection, only emerging when everything starts to warm up, on the way to, or when it arrives in the shops.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Given that there have been several confirmed sightings

three

Have you been taken in by the untruths and rubbish being spouted on farcebook today?

 

[OldFarm]

three

Have you been taken in by the untruths and rubbish being spouted on farcebook today?

BBKA says we're at 3 confirmed insects and 1 credible sighting, there had been none at this point last year. It was a good year for AHs in France last year, so the number of new arrivals this year is likely to be greater than last year.

The Facebook scaremongering, profiteering and mis-information really hacks me off.

 

[Karol]

BBKA says we're at 3 confirmed insects and 1 credible sighting, there had been none at this point last year. It was a good year for AHs in France last year, so the number of new arrivals this year is likely to be greater than last year.

The Facebook scaremongering, profiteering and mis-information really hacks me off.

Isn't the title to this thread scaremongering?

Given the volume of traffic from France I'm surprised we haven't seen more velutina popping up. Doesn't mean it's established or likely to become established. Hopefully we won't get any strong easterly winds this spring.

Any idea if these were queens or workers?

 

[fian]

https://www.nationalbeeunit.com/about-us/beekeeping-news/asian-hornet-confirmed-sighting-ash-kent/
Is it usual for a member of the Animal and Plant Health Agency to collect the reported HA specimens?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Isn't the title to this thread scaremongering?

You should read the rubbish on FB. Nigel Semmence is being quoted as saying that the NBU will give up after 200 nests.

 

[Karol]

You should read the rubbish on FB.

Rather not. There's a reason why Western society is falling apart and why young people have the highest rates of mental illness ever known.

Nigel Semmence is being quoted as saying that the NBU will give up after 200 nests.

Who is Nigel?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Contingency Planning and Science Officer NBU

 

[Wilco]

Contingency Planning and Science Officer NBU

And, in my experience from doing placement with him as a student, a kind and intelligent beekeeper who cares deeply about pollinators and the broader ecosystem, not just the honey bee. He's a good man for the job.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Absolutely

 

[beeker]

The most sense I have seen written on AH has been on here. Especially the comments from Karol, way back I found his knowledge on wasps really interesting, and now even though he could have benefitted greatly from the 'panic' buying, he has held his line, that of the NBU, monitoring wick & bait stations. It all makes sense to me.
Whilst I am a lot further north than those on the south coast, and I appreciate their concerns. I for one am getting really fed up with one individual, laden with doom and gloom, hearsay evidence, then 'innocently' directing people to a website selling traps. Which of course he is the owner of. Technology means most things can now be created cheaply on printers, with plans available for free to exact tolerances it seems.

*. Just my Monday morning thoughts.
** No connection to BBKA, Karol or any other supplier of traps, parts, 3d printing

 

[Karol]

Nigel Semmence is being quoted as saying that the NBU will give up after 200 nests.

And has this been verified with Nigel who presumably is authorised to talk on behalf of the APHA?

 

[Erichalfbee]

And has this been verified with Nigel who presumably is authorised to talk on behalf of the APHA?

No of course not. It’s gossip posing as fact.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The most sense I have seen written on AH has been on here. Especially the comments from Karol, way back I found his knowledge on wasps really interesting, and now even though he could have benefitted greatly from the 'panic' buying, he has held his line, that of the NBU, monitoring wick & bait stations. It all makes sense to me.
Whilst I am a lot further north than those on the south coast, and I appreciate their concerns. I for one am getting really fed up with one individual, laden with doom and gloom, hearsay evidence, then 'innocently' directing people to a website selling traps. Which of course he is the owner of. Technology means most things can now be created cheaply on printers, with plans available for free to exact tolerances it seems.

*. Just my Monday morning thoughts.
** No connection to BBKA, Karol or any other supplier of traps, parts, 3d printing

If it's the same one I've stumbled across - He's now also claiming he's an expert entomologist (I had a spat with the fool last week) pest control officer and commercial beekeeper whilst in actual fact (I think I accepted a friend request off him some years ago - blame people who keep sending me excellent malt whisky as Christmas gifts) he's a wannabe gourmet chef who works in the local charity shop, has a messy jumble of hives populated by swarms he collects as part of his 'business' behind his terraced house and his 'extractor room' looks like a grubby two frame extractor off ebay stored in what used to be (or maybe still is) his outside toilet, his 'pest control' probably consists of turning up to kill wasp nests with an aerosol can of Raid.
I think his Velutina 'expertise' stems from having family on the continent, probably the same person who sends over Hornet traps for him to sell on at grossly inflated prices.

 

[Karol]

No of course not. It’s gossip posing as fact.

Appreciate the clarification. Thank you. I didn't want to assume and your comment could be read either way.

Nevertheless gossip such as this needs to be quashed otherwise the great and the good uninformed will wreak havoc with destructive mitigation measures.

 

[pargyle]

Contingency Planning and Science Officer NBU

Nigel used to be our RBI ... good bloke.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No of course not. It’s gossip posing as fact.

That's the kinder version - I can no longer see what they are saying on there as their Admin blocked me last night when I pointed out to him that not knowing what an RBI was didn't instill any confidence in me of his knowledge of AH controls or anything else

 

[Erichalfbee]

They have thrown me out too.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They have thrown me out too.

bit like the BBKA you are not allowed to question their dogma

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I wonder if the blocked Pete Davies!!