Jaspers in the hive

[abbot ale]

I seem to have wasps and bees in and out of the hive entrance. I am going to open up this evening to see what Ive got. There were loads of windfall apples around the area which Ive cleared as this was the attraction.I have the mouse guard fitted but they seem to be unchallenged. I have a spare hive nearby question is if the wasps are settled in can I move the frames with bees on to new hive and seal them in for a couple of days. then I can dismantle the wasp hive and hopefully evict the jaspers. Or can anyone come up with a better method.

 

[oliver90owner]

Mouse guard? Good for keeping out mice, not wasps.

No need to open the hive to see what you have got. Unless you take measures to prevent this, your colony will be lost in a few days.

If the wasps are gaining entry unchallenged, your colony may well be too weak to resist further attack.

My usual suggestion is reinforcement of the colony, but this may be futile. The usual ploys of sideways entrances and transparent screens are the starting points.

RAB

 

[abbot ale]

what about sealing remaining bees in spare hive

 

[rogerb]

close your hive entrance up to one bee width and then they will keep the wasps out.

if they still fail then your hive is probably too week to survive, in which case break it up and unite with something that is strong enough to survive

or moving it can do the trick as well; I moved a weakened nuc six weeks ago and it’s now fine.

Oh, and feed it as much as it will take, as the wasps will have already robbed it out.

 

[Rich0909]

Wasps don't stay in the hive - each one visits just long enough to fill up with honey or dismembered brood parts - if you shut them in at night you won't be trapping any wasps in so no need for spare hive. Best plan is to find somewhere to move them to but if that is really impossible try, as RAB says, the transparent screen (sheet of glass / perspex angled in front of the entrance) and reduce the entrance to one bee way. Trap wasps nearby but not right at hive entrance.
Unless shut in or obviously starving I wouldn't feed until the problem is under control or you may make it worse...

The important thing is to take action today or you will probably have no colony left to rescue.

Rich

 

[Skyhook]

Also- watch the wasps as they leave the hive, if you're very lucky you may be able to track them down to the nest, then deal with at night.


.

 

[oliver90owner]

if you shut them in at night you won't be trapping any wasps*

Not true, I'm afraid.

RAB

 

[BILL.HEARD]

Mouse guard? Good for keeping out mice, not wasps.

No need to open the hive to see what you have got. Unless you take measures to prevent this, your colony will be lost in a few days.

If the wasps are gaining entry unchallenged, your colony may well be too weak to resist further attack.

My usual suggestion is reinforcement of the colony, but this may be futile. The usual ploys of sideways entrances and transparent screens are the starting points.

RAB

Plus close entrance to one bee space.

 

[Heather]

Watch wasps ...they travel in a straight line back to the nest.. Or shake a bit of flour on some ..easier to spot in flight. Then kill the nest...

as said- urgent...Hive entrance reduced to 1 bee size.. a mouse guard is giving them a nightmare to guard. Feed this colony if they are still viable.