Lack of wasps

[papa_sierra]

Tidying up my windfalls from the plum tree to feed to the chickens I noticed a fair amount of activity. Careful to pick up as they are usually covered in wasps feeding, a good look showed no wasps at all but all bees, I assume from the apiary. Are the bees taking advantage of the lack of wasps or are they supplementing the lack of forage ?

 

[Swarm]

Often see bees on the blackberries around here.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

shedfuls of wasps around here - no different to most seasons. Went to the bakery the other day and they were telling me tales of, a few days previously, a wasp invasion attracted to the iced buns and cakes.

 

[JamezF]

I'm seeing a few wasps here now, but not huge numbers. One of the breweries in the local town puts spent hops out in bags for people to collect to use in their gardens. I picked up a couple of bags on my way past at the weekend, but left one because it was smothered in wasps that had clearly found a "leak" allowing them to get at the wort left in the hops.

James

 

[Newbeeneil]

Wasps are with me in spades! I’ve lost 5 weak colonies and 3 mating nucs in the last couple of weeks.
They were all over the cleared supers this morning desperate to get in at any crack.
They were also in my honey room today. I never mind a few bees buzzing around but wasps in another thing!

 

[Penninetrader]

Wasps are with me in spades! I’ve lost 5 weak colonies and 3 mating nucs in the last couple of weeks.
They were all over the cleared supers this morning desperate to get in at any crack.
They were also in my honey room today. I never mind a few bees buzzing around but wasps in another thing!

I would be tempted to become a big time nest hunter, that situation sounds horrendous if it happened here I would be wiped out.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I would be tempted to become a big time nest hunter, that situation sounds horrendous if it happened here I would be wiped out.

The losses were in several different apiaries so not just one nest.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Bees and wasps showing a lot of interest in the extractor fan from my honey room .
View attachment IMG_3225.mov

 

[WoodenBeam]

Lots of wasps here also - Mind you we’re now cooking in the Honey room.
Bought an insect killer a while back, it had the odd bug but not much, pleased bees aren’t attracted to it.
But wasps are, cleared the blighters in no time, not the most pleasant smell though & the sizzling is some what off putting

 

[Amari]

Lots of wasps here also - Mind you we’re now cooking in the Honey room.
Bought an insect killer a while back, it had the odd bug but not much, pleased bees aren’t attracted to it.
But wasps are, cleared the blighters in no time, not the most pleasant smell though & the sizzling is some what off putting

Still very few wasps here just 3-4 miles from you. Your honey room activities must be sucking them in.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Seen bees on overripe plums before. Not this year. Must have a better option. Not seeing many wasps either.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I once stored cappings tied up in a multitude of plastic bags and left them in a shed at the bottom of the garden. Hardly saw a wasp at the hives that year. When I went to retrieve the cappings in the autumn there were gazillions of wasps in the bags.

 

[Moobee]

Wasps in the out apiary. One weaker hive (recently requeened) had quite a few in the supers - I managed to despatch about 20, they were so dozy. Narrowed the entrance on the hive and gave them a frame of emerging brood to boost their defences from a very full nuc.