I could change my mind about (European) Hornets, you know...

[JamezF]

Apparently someone from Plymouth BKA has posted a couple of videos of a European hornet hunting bees in front of his hives and having caught one, dismembering it on a nearby shrub.

Taking the occasional free-flying honey bee is something I can live with, but patrolling up and down in front of the hives, potentially recruiting others to do the same, is an entirely different hovercraft of eels.



James

 

[Goran]

It is normal behavior of European hornets, at least at my place also.. My respond is trap and practicing tennis.. This year there are a lot more hornets and wasps, seems this catastrophic drought was good for their breeding.. Some people while they pick fruits got stung.. Some even when eating fruits accidentally in a tongue ( wasps)..

 

[ericbeaumont]

posted a couple of videos

Usual unnecessary panic and alarm when nature is seen at work.

European hornets have been around hives while I've been in them recently. Harmless, and a joy to see, and I've not noticed recruitment attack that wasps employ.

 

[Erichalfbee]

They are welcome to my bees

 

[Nannysbees]

Wasps generally in the garden are ramping up. Thought it was going to be a quiet year but must be the right time for them to looking for a sweet treat!! Not my favourite, got stung while I was gardening about 10 years ago. Got me at the base of my nail on my little finger, wow did it hurt, it was like a red hot needle going in, something I've never forgotten

 

[Newbeeneil]

I pôsted recently that I saw one hawking in front of my hives and disappearing into the long grass with its prey. On examination of the feast it was apparent the pray was a wasp.

 

[viridens]

See my post here
Unfortunately, I still have sparrows hawking here, and they have much larger appetites than hornets.

 

[bingevader]

One lunchtime, whilst enjoying my sandwich near the hives in school, I watched a mouse under the hive, it was picking off any bees that misjudged the entrance and fell to the grass.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

what is it about hobby beekeepers? they will actively propagate alien species plants like (HB) and sit back watching an environmental disaster happen - then anything they see as even a minor 'threat' to their bees (ants European hornets, woodlice, earwigs) must be wiped off the face of the earth.
So European hornets take out the odd bee?
So what?
I can sense there being a pogrom against crabro in Pompey shortly.
Oh dear

 

[ericbeaumont]

a pogrom against crabro

Portsmouth BKA ought to send a message to members to counteract the Facebook nonsense.

 

[Swarm]

It's been particularly nice this year to see hornets in the garden, I watched one patrolling the rambling rose before pouncing. See them often at the farm, where they are far more of a threat to the wasps.
The daily life of a foraging bee is fraught with so many dangers, that's life.

 

[Mint Bee]

Plymouth or Portsmouth? (170 ish miles apart by road)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Plymouth or Portsmouth? (170 ish miles apart by road)

Pompey - Not Guz, he's a member of Portsmouth BKA

 

[Moobee]

Wasps generally in the garden are ramping up. Thought it was going to be a quiet year but must be the right time for them to looking for a sweet treat!! Not my favourite, got stung while I was gardening about 10 years ago. Got me at the base of my nail on my little finger, wow did it hurt, it was like a red hot needle going in, something I've never forgotten

The wasps at my apiary are still hunting down the bees - completely ignoring the lovely jam and beer traps I have out for them!

 

[The Poot]

It's been particularly nice this year to see hornets in the garden, I watched one patrolling the rambling rose before pouncing. See them often at the farm, where they are far more of a threat to the wasps.
The daily life of a foraging bee is fraught with so many dangers, that's life.

I’ve not seen a single hornet this year - unfortunately. I’ve seen too many wasps though.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I’ve not seen a single hornet this year - unfortunately. I’ve seen too many wasps though.

I've seen just one hornet (in our porch) this year. The ivy covering next doors shed is normally an attraction for them but it's a long way to go before it flowers. Currently the evodia trees and the coralberry are providing good forage for my honeybees and a lot of local bumblebees.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've seen more hornets than ever before this year - always a few buzzing around in the garden or around the wet super stores. Actually put my hand on a few of them'resting' on a stack of wet su[ers when I was fumbling around for a scraper in the evening twilight - none of them stung me.

 

[holmbee]

Lots of hornets here. They are around waiting to pick off not just honeybees but wasps as well. Sadly not just the wasps!

 

[JamezF]

Lots of hornets here. They are around waiting to pick off not just honeybees but wasps as well. Sadly not just the wasps!

That's fascinating. The other day I was watching a hornet perched on one of our apple trees dismembering a fly, but I had no idea they'd take wasps as well.

James

 

[Newbeeneil]

That's fascinating. The other day I was watching a hornet perched on one of our apple trees dismembering a fly, but I had no idea they'd take wasps as well.

James

I was vaping today with hornets hawking around my hives. I didn't see a single forager succumb to the hornets but they took 2 wasps and a couple of evicted drones while I watched.