Wasp power

[viridens]

I have just watched a guard bitten in half while struggling to eject a wasp. This abdomen was then carried off by a wasp, maybe the same one. I hope this was a fluke!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have just watched a guard bitten in half while struggling to eject a wasp. This abdomen was then carried off by a wasp, maybe the same one. I hope this was a fluke!

Absolutely perfect predators aren’t they. Taken off to feed on the gathered nectar in peace.

 

[jmc]

One of the reasons a little defensiveness in a honeybee is an advantage. I never find wasps raiding my AMM hives.

 

[bobthecob]

I found the front end of a bee walking around on the landing board yesterday. It wasn't a great moment (though worse for the bee)

 

[Erichalfbee]

I found the front end of a bee walking around on the landing board yesterday. It wasn't a great moment (though worse for the bee)

Yes common. That’s because they have “brains” top and bottom. But like some blokes really

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Wasps are becoming a nuisance here already - attacking bees on the landing board. I’ve closed down entrances to help the defence.

 

[philipm]

Wasp have become a major problem here suspect it may be due to a lack of the usual fruit for them to feed on everything got wiped out in the late frosts. Had just put a new queen from MBC into a hive the wasps managed to finish it off .Merged two other hives yesterday to at least make them strong enough to keep the wasps out.

 

[rampino]

Wasps have made a nest in the ground about a metre in front of one of my hives. I thought that I had killed them off with my trick of drowning them by pouring water and detergent in using a long piece of pipe. However I looked in yesterday and they’re back in business. I will have to try something else, petrol perhaps. Anybody got another solution? I’m not too keen on using any sort of pesticide at this proximity to the hive.

 

[Jpsyndrome]

Seem to be a really high number of wasps in my part of the world. Hives are coping but getting the odd angry bee chasing me round the garden as a result

 

[Silver]

Yes I've noticed the same, seem to be a lot of wasps this year, more that I've seen previously.

 

[Big robert]

My bees can't do there business for defending they hive and there so persistent

 

[Curly green finger's]

Jbms underfloor entrances are a good deterrent for wasps.
Here's the thread.

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/under-floor-entrance-plans.26994/

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Wasps have made a nest in the ground about a metre in front of one of my hives. I thought that I had killed them off with my trick of drowning them by pouring water and detergent in using a long piece of pipe. However I looked in yesterday and they’re back in business. I will have to try something else, petrol perhaps. Anybody got another solution? I’m not too keen on using any sort of pesticide at this proximity to the hive.

Dynamite?

 

[viridens]

Wasps have made a nest in the ground about a metre in front of one of my hives. I thought that I had killed them off with my trick of drowning them by pouring water and detergent in using a long piece of pipe. However I looked in yesterday and they’re back in business. I will have to try something else, petrol perhaps. Anybody got another solution? I’m not too keen on using any sort of pesticide at this proximity to the hive.

If the ground is fairly flat, try a large paving slab or similar over the nest area

 

[DaveG23]

Petrol and a match?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Petrol and a match?

We've all seen the video doing the rounds on facebook!

 

[DaveG23]

We've all seen the video doing the rounds on facebook!

Thankfully no video from my father in law doing this last year to a wasps nest in a pampas grass. petrol poured in the entrance, one of those lidl flame/weed gas things to light it. At this stage I just head straight to get the hose as I know whats coming.. come back to see the panic. flame had jumped to the petrol can, only just put out by my wife, dry pampas grass looks like a volcano. Father in law demanding water! Had to fill up trugs as hose wouldn't reach. 4 trugs later its under control.

2 hours later he is pouring more petrol and starting it again..

live and let live is the answer.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Petrol and a match?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Don’t!

 

[madasafish]

Lots of problems last year with wasps..
So this year started early with wasp traps. Caught about 10 wasps in 5 traps.. in total - not per trap.

Apart from the few wasps caught have seen so far no sign of the number seen last year. Given the cold and wet June and July we have had locally, I am unsurprised. But as August is still young.....