Hive lost to wasps.

[LeaBees]

Just got back from hols to find one of my hives killed off and taken over by wasps. Was a weak hive but had reduced entrance and the Wasp-out entrance thing fitted. Gutted, but one more lesson learned.

Question is should the frames be destroyed ? Can they be used again? Anything I should do to them prior to reuse?
First time losing a hive to wasps.
Thanks

 

[Sutty]

Horrible thing to find, my sympathies!
I don't think there is any reason not to reuse the frames, though I'd leave it until after wasps have gone (I don't know if there is any wasp-scent that might attract others).
Can I ask how weak it was, and how small the entrance was?

 

[JamezF]

The wasps are suddenly all over everything here. It's not pleasant

I'd be disinclined to re-use the frames unless I knew why the colony was weak, I think. If there's no reason to believe disease was a problem then I might be tempted to freeze the frames and use them in bait hives next year. If disease could have been a contributory factor then I'd probably prefer to ditch them; cleaning them up and sterilising them so they could have new foundation in seems like a lot of effort compared with the cost of a new set of frames and foundation.

James

 

[enrico]

None here at the moment but I had a good go at the queen's in spring. (Tin hat on)

 

[LeaBees]

Horrible thing to find, my sympathies!
I don't think there is any reason not to reuse the frames, though I'd leave it until after wasps have gone (I don't know if there is any wasp-scent that might attract others).
Can I ask how weak it was, and how small the entrance was?

Colony had swarmed and new mated queen was a DLQ, so brood and bee numbers were low. In hindsight was probably only big enough for a small nuc by the time a new queen and frame of emerging brood was added. Entrance was reduced to 1-2 bee spaces. To my mind wasn't disease related, just weak, lack of sufficient defence and the wasps overan it.

 

[ericbeaumont]

brood and bee numbers were low ... In hindsight was probably only big enough for a small nuc

Green light to wasps.

At this time of year anything in a BB that is not solid with bees is better off in a polynuc: better able to defend, to access stores in winter and to retain heat.

Keep the frames (but watch out for wax moth).

 

[Paddyg]

I had really bad problems until I changed to kewl floors which have been 100% amazing at keeping wasps at bay. Changed all my floors now. I made modified versions but still similar to Even kewler floors - The Apiarist

 

[JamezF]

Judging by the amount they've been bothering me today, the wasps are having no luck at the hives. Or perhaps it's just that I'm naturally very sweet

James

 

[Karol]

Colony had swarmed and new mated queen was a DLQ, so brood and bee numbers were low. In hindsight was probably only big enough for a small nuc by the time a new queen and frame of emerging brood was added. Entrance was reduced to 1-2 bee spaces. To my mind wasn't disease related, just weak, lack of sufficient defence and the wasps overan it.

Sorry to hear of the loss of your hive. Situations such as this can be avoided. Naturally as opposed to disease weakened hives require time to build up strength. The way to buy such hives time during the wasp season requires additional integrated wasp measures to be deployed. Integrated wasp management can be thought of as a spectrum of measures that reflect prevailing conditions. Working to ensure hives are strong during the wasp season is a part of integrated wasp management as are wasp resistant entrances. If hive strength is compromised then additional measures are required such as shielding from and eradication of wasps until such time as the weakened hive can stand on its own feet. These measures in some cases require considerable effort and close monitoring and in the final analysis it may be easier to let nature take its course and start afresh to be ready in advance of the next wasp season.

 

[steve1958]

One of my colonies was fortunate this year in that I managed to locate the offending wasp nest and remove it.

On a previous inspection I noted a considerable amount of wasps attacking the hive.
A few days later I was contacted by the lady who lives next door to where my hive is sited.
She had a 'swarm' in a wall cavity.
I was able to confirm that it was a wasp colony and that it was less than 100 yards from my hive (over an 8ft wall).
They were using my hive as a larder.

Removing the wasp nest made a huge difference for this colony

 

[Erichalfbee]

Removing the wasp nest made a huge difference for this colony

Best thing. If you find a nest this time of year, deal with it.

 

[Belgianbeekeeper]

Just got back from hols to find one of my hives killed off and taken over by wasps. Was a weak hive but had reduced entrance and the Wasp-out entrance thing fitted. Gutted, but one more lesson learned.

Question is should the frames be destroyed ? Can they be used again? Anything I should do to them prior to reuse?
First time losing a hive to wasps.
Thanks

We closely monitor all our hives,still,sometimes we get caught by surprise,a q stopped laying for instance ,and we reacted bit late we almost always solve that with hanging in a frame with closed brood from a strong healthy hive.If the hive did fall back too much we sometimes even house them bit smaller,taking a lvl off or put them on a nuc.We haven't lost a single hive in 8 seasons now,and counting.Can't give you advice on re using those frames or not,we wouldn't bother really all our frames getting changed entirely in a two season cyclus anyway.Also,we never ever have swarming,so,such weak hives as you describe we won't ever have.But the swarming-not swarming way of working is an endless discussion we better don't go into.