Robbing Wasps

[Newbeeneil]

I made these up last year and had them on all winter. The wasps did not have a clue how to get in at the ends. No mouse guards needed either . Rows of 5mm holes across the entrance position and a cut out at the back to let the bees in once they found the tunnel which did not take long. I run small entrances all year but it still helped. Dirt cheap from electric trunking. Gave a few to friends and they have the same opinion - try them.

I made some of these up last year out of 16mm trunking and the wasps soon worked out how to get in. 4 colonies wiped out in one apiary

 

[BernardBlack]

On the subject of wasps......

Are they more active in the evening?

I was inspecting yesterday evening, and there were loads about when I opened up.

Normally I inspect in the daytime , and never encounter many.

 

[ericbeaumont]

shaking bees in ( from super)

what about the other part of my problem ie new queen blocked off entrance shaking bees in ( from super)

Recipe already given above: buy the pipe from Screwfix, cut & fit it; shake bees onto a board in front of the nuc.

 

[RogerIvy]

I made some of these up last year out of 16mm trunking and the wasps soon worked out how to get in. 4 colonies wiped out in one apiary

I had similar last year.

 

[GaryH]

In extremis you can put a dummy nuc in its place with a saucer of sugar syrup to rob out while you hastily order a waspbane to put there which will deal with all the robbers

On the subject of wasps......

Are they more active in the evening?

I was inspecting yesterday evening, and there were loads about when I opened up.

Normally I inspect in the daytime , and never encounter many.

This story gets more interesting I’ll update this thread later. Thanks everyone

 

[Ian123]

On the subject of wasps......

Are they more active in the evening?

I was inspecting yesterday evening, and there were loads about when I opened up.

Normally I inspect in the daytime , and never encounter many.

Morning or evening I’m not sure they are more active but it may be the case the bees are less active! Wasps will operate in temperatures lower than bees. So none guarding the front door?

It’s often the case on cold Autumn mornings with the bees tightly clustered wasps will have a free ride at the front entrance a reason I like to ensure frames of brood line up with the entrance, particularly on small colonies/nucs. At least then if they gain entry there’s a chance they are met by a cluster of bees.

 

[user 23149]

I use 'full-fat' coca cola in my wasp traps which usually works but tried that outside an unreachable wasp next and got nothing. I think I may try the sugar water/vinegar option as I have wasps all over my plum tree which is very close to the hive.

 

[GaryH]

I have a united utilities manhole in the apiary, the authorities needed to gain access, so I blocked Bees off last night. There were wasps everywhere, but obviously they couldn’t get in to the hives because of the foam.
I moved the main hive 3 feet away from the manhole cover with the foam blocking the underfloor entrance. The other hive with the virgin queen in I’ve blocked off and just moved away, because read the advice on here, I was going to put the frames back into a smaller box. United Utilities came and went. I’ll let the Bees out. The stronger hive is now in a new position albeit only 3 feet away. It was in the same position now as the weak hive was before. The wasps came expecting to be attacking a weak colony. There was a lot of fighting. For now, the Bees are winning.

I think the weaker hive is a goner because I could not see the virgin queen in there.
Nevertheless, I put the frames into a small two frame nuc and fitted one of those pipes that everybody seems to think works. I shook three frames of bees in from the super.
I don’t know what’s going to happen next but the wasps followed me back to the shed with the national and the frames within. I bagged all the frames and put them in a box.

I am certain that I have lost the Queen from the weaker hive, but I’ll need to check later next week
I tried to find the Queen in the main hive to mark her with a red pen, but I couldn’t find her

I can’t stand wasps, never have never will

 

[Erichalfbee]

It’s often the case on cold Autumn mornings with the bees tightly clustered wasps will have a free ride at the front entrance a reason I like to ensure frames of brood line up with the entrance,

Warm way.

 

[Ian123]

Warm way.

Not really as they will often miss the first frame.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Not really as they will often miss the first frame.

Yes I see. It’s why I run mine warm way on UFE with the entrance slot a good way back.

 

[BernardBlack]

Morning or evening I’m not sure they are more active but it may be the case the bees are less active! Wasps will operate in temperatures lower than bees. So none guarding the front door?

It’s often the case on cold Autumn mornings with the bees tightly clustered wasps will have a free ride at the front entrance a reason I like to ensure frames of brood line up with the entrance, particularly on small colonies/nucs. At least then if they gain entry there’s a chance they are met by a cluster of bees.

They were buzzing around when I took off the crown board. Ended up squishing 5 or 6 before closing up. Reduced hive entrance in case they tried to get in via the entrance, but didn’t notice any activity there.

Put some jam in jars with water in, a number of metres away, and they were starting to spot those. So hopefully they’ll focus on those rather than the hives.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

They were buzzing around when I took off the crown board. Ended up squishing 5 or 6 before closing up. Reduced hive entrance in case they tried to get in via the entrance, but didn’t notice any activity there.

Put some jam in jars with water in, a number of metres away, and they were starting to spot those. So hopefully they’ll focus on those rather than the hives.

A military picket line?

 

[Karol]

I use 'full-fat' coca cola in my wasp traps which usually works but tried that outside an unreachable wasp next and got nothing. I think I may try the sugar water/vinegar option as I have wasps all over my plum tree which is very close to the hive.

Wasps don't tarry to feed within 10m or so of their own nest so putting a trap next to a nest won't catch wasps from that nest. Not only will you not catch wasps from the target nest, the sentries from that nest will chase off wasps from other nests meaning that you are highly unlikely to catch anything by placing a trap in close proximity to a wasp nest.