Wasp Out

[FrithBees]

Hi all, I'm new to beekeeping 1 hive plus swarm settling in! I've read a lot about robber bees and wasps being a nuisance and then saw the 'wasp out' product from Thorne and wondered whether anyone has experience of it / would commend it?

 

[ericbeaumont]

Do you have a wasp problem, Frith?

If so, reduce the hive entrance to a fraction more than one beespace (8mm) to perhaps 10mm, to enable the bees to defend easily.

One hard truth about beekeeping: suppliers stock any number of toys (many of which are unnecessary) and are eager to seduce you. Some say that the only way to make money in beekeeping is to sell bees and equipment, especially to new beekeepers.

If you want a tunnel entrance one can be made easily from pipe trunking; Millet wrote about his tunnel design here and plastic trunking is easily available (though the main shed suppliers seems to be out of stock) but even better, you may find some in a local skip.

Main policy with wasps: keep strong colonies (and strong nucs) and reduce entrances.

 

[FrithBees]

Hi, thankfully no problem as yet, just wondering about pre-empting hence the query, I have narrowed the entrance so will see how that goes.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The wasp out is basically just a piece of electrical trunking with some holes drilled in the front, put over the entrance, the wasps can 'see' the entrance through the holes but can't get in, and haven't the sense to go to the end of the trunking to get in.

 

[drex]

Made my own and they work well, so the Thornes one is likely to be effective.

 

[patrickr]

Been using one of these on a medium sized colony and seems to be working well. Can anyone say if these Wasp Outs are suitable to use on a strong colony. The bees are still pretty active in this hive, I've placed a normal Thornes block reducer in the entrance. I want to get ahead of the wasps before there's a problem but don't want to stifle the bees activity. Any thoughts?

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

I would think ok for a strong colony. I find the bunch of bees trying to get in through a small entrance also prevent the wasps from getting in and they defend each other from predation.

 

[patrickr]

I would think ok for a strong colony. I find the bunch of bees trying to get in through a small entrance also prevent the wasps from getting in and they defend each other from predation.

Thanks. I'll give it a go.....

 

[Kaz]

The wasp out is basically just a piece of electrical trunking with some holes drilled in the front, put over the entrance, the wasps can 'see' the entrance through the holes but can't get in, and haven't the sense to go to the end of the trunking to get in.

Hmm, I bought these last year to try and had no success at all. The wasps very quickly worked out how to get in the sides of the trunking

 

[Monbees]

Hi all, I'm new to beekeeping 1 hive plus swarm settling in! I've read a lot about robber bees and wasps being a nuisance and then saw the 'wasp out' product from Thorne and wondered whether anyone has experience of it / would commend it?

I am using two Wasp Outs from Thornes for my WBC hives as I couldn't work out how to make them for WBCs from Millet's National design. (I use Millet's design for my two National hives). Both designs seem to be working well. As a back up I also have 2 x Wasp Banes strategically placed - these have caught a number of wasps, so I guess i didn't have them out soon enough to catch the initial scout wasps, but they are working well anyway.

Memo for next year, make sure to buy Wasp Bane refills early so well prepared before wasp season!

 

[ShinySideUp]

I have a waspbane trap and refill it myself now using honey and Thatchers Gold Cider. It's a bit of a faff getting into it the first time and unless you are careful you will bugger it. The best way to get last years beasties out is to cut a hole in one of the top corners and tip them out then you can cover the hole with duct tape during the wasp season so that bees don't get in. Unscrew the clear top, pour in your favourite mix of sweet smelly stuff , screw the top back on and wait while the wasps die horribly, like they deserve ('cos one stung me on the neck this year and it itched for days).

 

[FrithBees]

I am using two Wasp Outs from Thornes for my WBC hives as I couldn't work out how to make them for WBCs from Millet's National design. (I use Millet's design for my two National hives). Both designs seem to be working well. As a back up I also have 2 x Wasp Banes strategically placed - these have caught a number of wasps, so I guess i didn't have them out soon enough to catch the initial scout wasps, but they are working well anyway.

Memo for next year, make sure to buy Wasp Bane refills early so well prepared before wasp season!

Thanks for the feedback, that's helpful to know, Cheers!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I have a waspbane trap and refill it myself now using honey and Thatchers Gold Cider. It's a bit of a faff getting into it the first time and unless you are careful you will bugger it. The best way to get last years beasties out is to cut a hole in one of the top corners and tip them out then you can cover the hole with duct tape during the wasp season so that bees don't get in. Unscrew the clear top, pour in your favourite mix of sweet smelly stuff , screw the top back on and wait while the wasps die horribly, like they deserve ('cos one stung me on the neck this year and it itched for days).

It might work for you but I'd never countenance putting honey into a wasp trap.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It might work for you but I'd never countenance putting honey into a wasp trap.

The Waspbane instructions are to include honey but there’s other stuff to make it unattractive to bees. The alcohol maybe?

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

The Waspbane instructions are to include honey but there’s other stuff to make it unattractive to bees. The alcohol maybe?

Bees don’t know what they’re missing...

 

[Apiarisnt]

The wasp out is basically just a piece of electrical trunking with some holes drilled in the front, put over the entrance, the wasps can 'see' the entrance through the holes but can't get in, and haven't the sense to go to the end of the trunking to get in.

 

[ShinySideUp]

It might work for you but I'd never countenance putting honey into a wasp trap.

Honey and cider that's all. No bees, only wasps and flies.

 

[ShinySideUp]

Do those under floor traps work, the ones with cones on the side so the wasps can get in.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Do those under floor traps work, the ones with cones on the side so the wasps can get in.

They do trap wasps but didn't Karol say here that as they batter themselves to pieces on the OMF trying to get out they drive the bees crazy?

 

[ShinySideUp]

They do trap wasps but didn't Karol say here that as they batter themselves to pieces on the OMF trying to get out they drive the bees crazy?

I suppose it's possible that the bees see themselves as being under constant attack and therefore provide guards on the OMF which could be better used elsewhere. Perhaps the design could be modified to have angled ports to the OMF so that the scent got out to attract the wasps in but without them being able to see the bees directly?