hornet attacking bees

[Cuckmere couple]

yesterday

pretty sure it is a european hornet but was definitely in front of hives trying to catch bees and saw it eating a wasp

will try and upload video

 

[Cuckmere couple]

yesterday

pretty sure it is a european hornet but was definitely in front of hives trying to catch bees and saw it eating a wasp

will try and upload video

View attachment hornet.mov

 

[Erichalfbee]

Absolutely Vespa crabro. Nothing else that yellow and noisy.
Lovely.
I watched one taking bees off the asters flowering in the garden.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I almost caught a European last Thursday I want a specimen which I want to use for demonstrations .

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Absolutely Vespa crabro. Nothing else that yellow and noisy.
Lovely.
I watched one taking bees off the asters flowering in the garden.

yup

and their numbers aren't that great i believe which is probably further challenged by people squashing in fear they may be the asian variety, but these should be left and enjoyed

 

[Erichalfbee]

I almost caught a European last Thursday I want a specimen which I want to use for demonstrations .

Why? A video is an excellent way to show how it looks and flies and still pictures will do just as well.
Unless you know how to preserve it properly it will quickly cease to resemble the living wasp anyway.

 

[JamezF]

My mother-in-law picked up what she believed to be a dead (crabro) hornet in her house yesterday. Unfortunately it wasn't quite as dead as she expected.

James

 

[Parsonage Bees]

I picked a European Hornet out of a wasp trap in 2018. Not common to see them here.
Took it inside to measure it so I could reduce the size of the hole in the trap so I didn't kill any more. Used my calipers on the head and thorax.
Imagine my surprise when it got up and walked away.

Saw them around my hives but they were more attracted to the wasps in the trap.

(btw. nest was destroyed in the roof of an end of terrace 300m away by a pest controller. They were coming down into the lady's bedroom. They had to go. Even in 2018 the guy was aware to check whether it was a yellow legged hornet.)

 

[Ian123]

yesterday

pretty sure it is a european hornet but was definitely in front of hives trying to catch bees and saw it eating a wasp

will try and upload video

Hornets will hawk the front of hives and take bees, it’s not uncommon and I don’t begrudge them a few. Realistically it’s nothing to worry about!

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I've released a number of hornets (crabro) from my trap in the garden each morning. A couple of weeks a go, four were waiting for me one morning.

 

[inthewoods]

not sure about upload.https://youtu.be/6_hUJT60WWY

 

[Erichalfbee]

I've released a number of hornets (crabro) from my trap in the garden each morning. A couple of weeks a go, four were waiting for me one morning.

I have one Waspbane next to a small nuc. I was catching them last year so this year all the entrances have been reduced with Canadian cone escapes and the hornets are not getting in.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I have one Waspbane next to a small nuc. I was catching them last year so this year all the entrances have been reduced with Canadian cone escapes and the hornets are not getting in.

I'm using these traps because of AH in my immediate area. I think the access to the trap for crabro and velutina is likely to be similar.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm using these traps because of AH in my immediate area. I think the access to the trap for crabro and velutina is likely to be similar.

Of course....Mine is only for wasps

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think the access to the trap for crabro and velutina is likely to be similar.

quite a difference in size between the two - Velutina is not much bigger than a wasp

 

[Erichalfbee]

quite a difference in size between the two - Velutina is not much bigger than a wasp

I've asked on the hornet page because it would be good to be able to exclude our hornet yet still trap AH
Maybe Karen would know....I'll ask there

 

[Curly green finger's]

…

 

[Erichalfbee]

OK. The critical size is 5.5mm.
5.5 mm will let V Velutina in.
I know my 7mm Canadian cones exclude V crabro so I’m happy with my traps for now.

 

[Newbeeneil]

The trap below allows velutina, flys and wasps IN but lets all but the hornets out via a queen excluder.
https://www.jabeprode.fr/en

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks. I was looking at these in a video.
When I’m awake I’ll sticky this thread