Wasp protection and returning bees...

[Emma K]

Two days ago a wasp walked out of the hive carrying one of my bees.

Yesterday morning a wasp arrived, the air temp was 14oC and no bees were out so I killed it. A little later another wasp arrived. I killed it and as I did so another wasp flew into the hive entrance. As it was still quite cool I decided to quickly block the entrance and reduced it to 10cm x 2cm. I saw a few more wasps during the day which ignored the wasp trap and saw one fly into the entrance. (I didn't see it come out again.)

At sunset I put in an entrance block with a smaller hole and pinned a plastic tunnel (made from a 4 pint milk bottle) over the entrance. As I did so something shot out of the entrance hit the plastic, rattled around for a few seconds and disappeared over my shoulder. Another wasp?

The entrance is now about 4cm by 1cm and behind a plastic tunnel/screen 12.5cm wide.

This morning very few bees are finding their way back in, many are going underneath then dropping onto the grass. On the plus side no wasps seen.

The colony was transferred from a nuc box 12 days ago and has fondant in a feed box on the crown board feed hole so no through ventilation. Everything seemed ok when I had a quick look on Monday (it was very windy so I only checked each frame for a few seconds). I was planning to do an inspection this afternoon as I am going away tomorrow and won't be able to do another inspection until Wednesday.

Should I leave them alone?
Should I remove the tunnel?
Should I put in the wooden floor under the omf?
Am I being obsessive?

 

[SWEET]

Something i've read that might help , be careful killing/crushing wasps around the hive/s , they produce very powerful pheromones that might trigger an onslaught . Theres also some great threads on here regards *entrance porches* these also seem to help .

 

[Emma K]

Thanks I'll search that.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have a look at the beekeeping link on this site. It has lots of useful info. www.waspbane.com

 

[Swarm]

Remove the fondant for a start. Fondant is generally used as an emergency feed, the bees don't need fondant now. Reduce the entrance to a couple of bee spaces and have a look into under floor entrances, to reduce risk of wasp attack and also to prevent mice

 

[Emma K]

ericA and Steve

I left them alone and most of the bees are now landing on the alighting board and walking in. A few fly in as far as the entrance and a few are still falling onto the grass. One fell into the wasp trap so I have had a look at the Waspbane site. (Clever, but a bit expensive.)

I had a look through the search results as suggested by Daboss and will make a perspex shield as rainwater is lying in the bottom of the plastic tunnel.

I spoke to a local beekeeper and he said "The down side of docile easy to handle bees is that they are not very aggresive when it comes to defending against wasps." He also recommended trying to follow the wasps back to their nest and burning it... Not sure how the neighbours would react to me setting fire to a wasps nest in a barn full of hay!

On the plus side I have not seen a wasp near the hive all day. On the down side it has been too cold and windy, again, to do an inspection so will do it Tuesday p.m.

The fondant was recommended and given to me by a life member of the local BKA. It is in a margarine tub with a hole about 4cm x 3cm in the lid inverted over the feed hole in the crownboard. He believes that at this time of year if the foraging is good the bees don't bother with the fondant and if it is not good the fondant is there to support them, either way it is doing no harm. (But not to feed in the spring so the bees learn to forage rather than rely on being fed.)

One thing I am learning is that beekeepers agree to disagree.

I live 1/4 mile from the sea on a low clay hill so it is very wet and windy. Believe me Steve I am reading a lot about hive design at the moment but I will read up on underfloor entrances.

Thanks again everyone. I'm also learning that I'll almost certainly be asking for advice again.

 

[Millet]

Them wasbane traps are a lot less expensive than loosing the full hive to wasps, have a look at post 12 on this link, i use them and under floor entrances, the tunnel entrances i make do not hinder the bees but wasps have a hard job fighting there way through the tunnel and mice can not fit through also.

https://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=39947&page=2&highlight=tunnel+entrance

 

[Swift Nick]

Have a look at the beekeeping link on this site. It has lots of useful info. www.waspbane.com

I read this thread & also took advice from someone in my BKA & today have ordered a Wasp Bane, the waspiest part of summer has yet to come. I have just hived two nuc's & had wasps trying to get in. The bees defended the entrance, but I reduced the entrance further to help them out.
The nuc's were a fair investment, so although the Wasp Bane is pricey I thought it worth it.
It may be marketing hype, but a You Tube video explains how wasps escaping from home made traps, return to the nest & bring more wasps, hence home made wasp traps can attract wasps to the area. With the Wasp Bane it looks like the wasps can't escape.
I will post back with how the Wasp Bane works in practice.

 

[Millet]

I read this thread & also took advice from someone in my BKA & today have ordered a Wasp Bane, the waspiest part of summer has yet to come. I have just hived two nuc's & had wasps trying to get in. The bees defended the entrance, but I reduced the entrance further to help them out.
The nuc's were a fair investment, so although the Wasp Bane is pricey I thought it worth it.
It may be marketing hype, but a You Tube video explains how wasps escaping from home made traps, return to the nest & bring more wasps, hence home made wasp traps can attract wasps to the area. With the Wasp Bane it looks like the wasps can't escape.
I will post back with how the Wasp Bane works in practice.

I know how they work as i have been using one for three years and they are lethal if you are a wasp, mine has been half full of wasps every year and the wasp activity at my hive entrances is none existent when doubling the wasbane up with tunnel entrances.

 

[Swift Nick]

I know how they work as i have been using one for three years and they are lethal if you are a wasp, mine has been half full of wasps every year and the wasp activity at my hive entrances is none existent when doubling the wasbane up with tunnel entrances.

Sounds good, glad I tool the plunge.

 

[Millet]

Sounds good, glad I tool the plunge.

They are good, i took mine out of the shed two days ago and hung it up near the apiary, in less than five minutes i had my first wasp of the year, you can also use the same trap year after year if you are careful when removing the rubber plug from the reservoir, this year i poured a tin of cheap larger in and a table spoon of strawberry jam.

 

[colinc]

I know how they work as i have been using one for three years and they are lethal if you are a wasp, mine has been half full of wasps every year and the wasp activity at my hive entrances is none existent when doubling the wasbane up with tunnel entrances.

Are you buying refills or making your own?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Swarm]

You could make a temporary tunnel entrance with a short piece of plastic ducting as used to run wires in. The small ducting will fit in the entrance, creating a narrow tunnel, block the rest off with a piece of wood.

Where you've left the fondant as a just in case option, they probably have enough stores for their needs at present and will be adding to it. With wasps already being a nuisance, it's just extra enticement and another excuse to bring their mates.

 

[colinc]

Are you buying refills or making your own?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Sorry we were typing at the same time


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[SireeDubs]

Waspbane, waspbane, waspbane.

Lost a colony to wasps 4 years ago. Am in the countryside and wasps common. Used waspbane every year since then and they might be expensive, but nothing comes close for effectiveness. No marketing hype, follow instructions (or tips of those above concerning refilling) and you'll not look back.

Traps set earlier this week and each caught first wasps within minutes.

Don't use jam traps etc. They just attract more because they're not effective at killing everything they initiall trap, if that makes sense.

Good luck!

 

[Millet]

Are you buying refills or making your own?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I just make my own from whatever is available cheap fosters larger is lethal on its own but i add jam also.

 

[Swift Nick]

Waspbane, waspbane, waspbane.

Lost a colony to wasps 4 years ago. Am in the countryside and wasps common. Used waspbane every year since then and they might be expensive, but nothing comes close for effectiveness. No marketing hype, follow instructions (or tips of those above concerning refilling) and you'll not look back.

Traps set earlier this week and each caught first wasps within minutes.

Don't use jam traps etc. They just attract more because they're not effective at killing everything they initiall trap, if that makes sense.

Good luck!

Thanks, sounds like £30 of my children's inheritance well spent. Pretty safe at the moment though as it is pouring with rain.

 

[Beefriendly]

the wasp activity at my hive entrances is none existent when doubling the wasbane up with tunnel entrances.

If the traps are as effective as claimed , why do you need the tunnel entrances as well?
If you have strong hives you don't need any other wasp deterrent.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If the traps are as effective as claimed , why do you need the tunnel entrances as well?
If you have strong hives you don't need any other wasp deterrent.

Well....you know what it's like when you're a beginner....very protective, belt and braces. Especially us girls
What if you don't have a strong hive?
What if you have a nuc you are hoping to get through the winter?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I read this thread & also took advice from someone in my BKA & today have ordered a Wasp Bane, the waspiest part of summer has yet to come. I have just hived two nuc's & had wasps trying to get in. The bees defended the entrance, but I reduced the entrance further to help them out.
The nuc's were a fair investment, so although the Wasp Bane is pricey I thought it worth it.
It may be marketing hype, but a You Tube video explains how wasps escaping from home made traps, return to the nest & bring more wasps, hence home made wasp traps can attract wasps to the area. With the Wasp Bane it looks like the wasps can't escape.
I will post back with how the Wasp Bane works in practice.

The home made jam based traps from which the odd wasp escapes are effective used as a picket line 50yards or more out from the hives. They do kill wasps and provide distraction targets for next to no money.