The dreaded Asian hornets

[alisonfosterbell]

I live in Picardy in northern France and began beekeeping in 2021. Last year's season was very cold and dry. This year is hot and very dry! Which has meant a huge invasion of Asian Hornets for the past couple of weeks, with 5 or 6 hornets hunting in front of each of my 3 hives, all day long. It is heart breaking watching them picking off bees and trying to get into the hives. The bees are stressed out and bearding at the entrance. I have learnt this isn't due to heat control (as when it was 35 to 41' for weeks they didn't display this behavior at all) but rather it is to defend their hive and possibly self sacrifice of a few for the good of the whole colony . Today I cracked and bought an eye wateringly expensive anti hornet cage to see if this helps. Fingers crossed. This is an appalling plague affecting all my beekeeping friends here. May you all be preserved from it as long as possible!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have you had a look at Richard Noel's Youtube channel?

 

[Ian123]

I live in Picardy in northern France and began beekeeping in 2021. Last year's season was very cold and dry. This year is hot and very dry! Which has meant a huge invasion of Asian Hornets for the past couple of weeks, with 5 or 6 hornets hunting in front of each of my 3 hives, all day long. It is heart breaking watching them picking off bees and trying to get into the hives. The bees are stressed out and bearding at the entrance. I have learnt this isn't due to heat control (as when it was 35 to 41' for weeks they didn't display this behavior at all) but rather it is to defend their hive and possibly self sacrifice of a few for the good of the whole colony . Today I cracked and bought an eye wateringly expensive anti hornet cage to see if this helps. Fingers crossed. This is an appalling plague affecting all my beekeeping friends here. May you all be preserved from it as long as possible!

There’s plenty of info on here for dealing with them, search and you’ll find a good eradication method.

 

[alisonfosterbell]

Than you for your thoughts. I've already put out wine/beer/syrup traps (filled with corpses immediately! ) and now putting on anti hornet cages. But as he says in the videos, we have to live with them now, which means most importantly, keeping colonies as strong as possible.

 

[Ian123]

Than you for your thoughts. I've already put out wine/beer/syrup traps (filled with corpses immediately! ) and now putting on anti hornet cages. But as he says in the videos, we have to live with them now, which means most importantly, keeping colonies as strong as possible.

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/members/1786/Search his posts there’s a relatively easy way of eradicating local nests