Double attack

[MJBee]

A frosty start then wall to wall sunshine all day. all my hives were active when in the sun - BUT so were the Asian hornets and wasps

This has been the first decent day for a while, the bees were keen to get onto the ivy and the hornets were hungry. None got into the hives but bees were being picked off at the entrances. I helped out with the badminton racquet until the sun went off the hives. More frosts required to kill off the attackers.

 

[nikca]

Mike,

I had been waiting for a nice day for a couple of weeks as my chimney had crappy pointed flashing in the local vercrapular - and it was leaking into my newly completed bedroom. Thus I was on the roof just after dawn (7:30 ish) and finished at about 6pm - light just failing. All the old cement haunching stihl sawed off (messy) - nice lead Anglais stylee fitted. We shall see when it rains if I can add roofing 101 to my repertoire.

What is the point of this waffle? Well, 2 fold: Whilst stripping off the tiles I found the 3rd wasps nest around the property - thankfully the entrance was under the eaves. Lots of dead wasps in the tiles was the first clue, so last nights frost had taken its toll. By 2 or 3pm when it had warmed up the little buggers could obviously smell the nest because they were entering between the roof boards (that I was sitting on!)and buzzing roound me. I thought of you, but my badminton racket was in the barn and I am unhappy enough on the edge of a roof!

As a result of really needing to get the roof done in the window I only got chance to peek at the hive at 6:15 as I headed shopping, by which time it was all quiet...

My other 2 wasps nests got the can of foam treatment - 1 was just inside the wood store door and the other the rear barn door. I couldn't really leave them as wasps in the face upon opening a door often offend. Last year was 4 Hornet colonies in barns and house, this year I've only seen 3 hornets all year (nicking bees in October), but 3 wasps nests...

We aren't due to get frost again in the forseeable , so I guess it's hive watch for a while longer.

 

[richardbees]

MJ

bees were being picked off at the entrances.

commiserations for your depleted stocks but thanks for posting that observation - widens my horizons!

richard

 

[MJBee]

The infuriating thing about Asian Hornet attacks is that you know their nest is probably within a 150mtr radius of the hive, but as they are usually 10 - 15mtrs up in a tree they are invisible until the leaves drop and by then the hornets are all dead and only the nest remains. Too late, too late was the cry!!

 

[MJBee]

The infuriating thing about Asian Hornet attacks is that you know their nest is probably within a 150mtr radius of the hive, but as they are usually 10 - 15mtrs up in a tree they are invisible until the leaves drop and by then the hornets are all dead and only the nest remains. Too late, too late was the cry!!

Nic - my days of crawling about on a roof are long gone but I well remember those little jaspers that nest under tiles - pinging little baskets - bon courage.

 

[drstitson]

"those little jaspers that nest under tiles"

paper wasps - fast and furious little buggers. i got my first sting off one in march last year (my fault for going into a livestock trailer to get some gardening stuff without my shirt on).

 

[johnandyrob]

The infuriating thing about Asian Hornet attacks is that you know their nest is probably within a 150mtr radius of the hive, but as they are usually 10 - 15mtrs up in a tree they are invisible until the leaves drop and by then the hornets are all dead and only the nest remains. Too late, too late was the cry!!

Nic - my days of crawling about on a roof are long gone but I well remember those little jaspers that nest under tiles - pinging little baskets - bon courage.

I saw a clip on you-tube of some people luring a hornet with some bait ( live insect grasshopper or some thing) tied to a stick so the hornet couldnt just fly away with it. They then carefully looped some thread round the hornet. Attached to the thread was a feather they were then able to follow the hornet back to its nest. They waited till dark burnt the nest out and ate the nicely cooked hornet larva.

 

[greengumbo]

I saw a clip on you-tube of some people luring a hornet with some bait ( live insect grasshopper or some thing) tied to a stick so the hornet couldnt just fly away with it. They then carefully looped some thread round the hornet. Attached to the thread was a feather they were then able to follow the hornet back to its nest. They waited till dark burnt the nest out and ate the nicely cooked hornet larva.

That is very cool. Please someone try this and video it.

Except for the eating bit.

 

[johnandyrob]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=OKuaDjJWSDI
Not the clip I was looking for but similar starts after about 3 min

 

[MJBee]

The thread and feather method obviously works for the Giant Asian Hornet but I,m not sure the much smaller Asian Hornet would be able to fly with a feather large enough to see. Will give it a go - watch this space

 

[Luminos]

The thread and feather method obviously works for the Giant Asian Hornet but I,m not sure the much smaller Asian Hornet would be able to fly with a feather large enough to see. Will give it a go - watch this space

I've heard it works fine if a parrot's feather is used

 

[richardbees]

The size of the hornet in that video was frightening - you could have tied the whole parrot to it!