wasp tunnel mark two

[HughMann]

Thought they swarmed, Hugh or was the swarm that arrived from somewhere else?

No the swarm came from elsewhere - so basically I have had 4 swarms in a dead straight line through my garden in 15 months now.

 

[RichardBeeW]

Just another take on the theme of stopping robbing / wasp attacks - which seems to be working for me.
I decided to encase the entire landing board with mesh (which simply slides on and off). It slips under the brood box and folds around the sides and underneath the landing area a little allowing unimpeded ventilation. The trunking has an entrance in line with a hole cut into the mesh - the resulting flap in the mesh is lifted up to project inside the trunking to stop it sliding sideways and I had it wide open here as a rush of young bees were coming out for their orientation flights. That evening, the melee having died down, I slid the facia back in place leaving just one end open and the bees are happily using this now. This Bud Light ;-) nuc was suffering badly from wasp attack while the one to the left (entrance the other way) was suffering from wasps AND a massive robbing attack from my main hives about 12' opposite.
Since fitting these blocks the nucs are coping really well. I did see one wasp march into the left hand nuc's entrance soon after fitting the block but returning about an hour later I found a dying wasp right underneath - seems the bees are defending themselves well at last.
* Why the Bud Light label? I cut up drinks cans of varying colours and pin them to the front of nucs to differentiate. They are thin, light and don't rust - the only problem I had was getting someone to drink the Bud Light in the first place ;-)

 

[robmort]

I use this "Enrico" tunnel slid to allow a small front gap at present. Works well and has no problems with wasps

 

[enrico]

I use this "Enrico" tunnel slid to allow a small front gap at present. Works well and has no problems with waspsView attachment 21845

There are two ways to do it if you get bad wasps
1 block both ends and just move that centre gap sideways
2 for really bad attack block one end, close the gap and make the tunnel as long as possible.
Good handy work though!
E

 

[PhilN]

I modified Enrico's idea (thanks for that) and created a tunnel inside too! (over-kill maybe) - I haven't seen any wasps attempting to get in.

 

[enrico]

I modified Enrico's idea (thanks for that) and created a tunnel inside too! (over-kill maybe) - I haven't seen any wasps attempting to get in.

Gets better and better!

 

[Monbees]

Gets better and better!

It does indeed! You should have patented it.

 

[robmort]

Haven't had too many problems with wasps, but on this small nuc which may be more at risk, I've used this, as the tunnel doesn't fit:


It has been recommended by other members of the local club and is a half of a drinks bottle pinned over the entrance to make a very wide "tunnel".

 

[drdrday]

Haven't had too many problems with wasps, but on this small nuc which may be more at risk, I've used this, as the tunnel doesn't fit:
View attachment 21861

It has been recommended by other members of the local club and is a half of a drinks bottle pinned over the entrance to make a very wide "tunnel".

For a wasp tunnel for a poly nuc I use a bit of hose pipe. It's a few inches long, with some gaffer tape wrapped around the middle to make it thick enough so that I can poke it into the nuc entrance and the taped portion bungs up the hole. Because it's not fixed in any way I can easily add it or remove it whenever I need to.

 

[redpig]

This is the 'Enrico hybrid mk1' for use on my lyson hive.
Fits nicely in the slots.

 

[BBC]

Just a few photos for those that were not around last year to show a simple wasp tunnel that seems to stop wasps entering your hive made with a simple piece of cable trunking.
it is pinned to the side pieces of the floor and is easily removable. It can be altered to allow the entrance to be open or only accessed via a long tunnel which deters wasps. there is a piece of foam in each end to block off the end you dont want used.

What size trunking was used in this example please Enrico.

 

[enrico]

What size trunking was used in this example please Enrico.

I used the 25mm because I wanted to make sure it covered the whole of an open entrance on a national. I find it easier to cut the central hole in the back of the u piece and use the cover to do the sliding. 25 mm allows bees to pass each other too.

 

[Garry R]

I did the same thing. Cut a rectangle out of the back which covers my usual 8mm x 8cm entrance with the trunking 25cm long. Drilled three rows of 5mm holes to align with the entrance and left the ends on the trunking both open. It took about 20mins before the bees had it figured out. The wasps haven't a clue to good when feeding. Stuck on the entrance with the self adhesion. Keeps the wasps out during feeding. Am sure they will be good for mouse guards. Two other advantages. In summer you can slide or unclick the cover to expose the original entrance and secondly unclick when you want to vape and then pop it back on when done. Not my idea I hasten to add but it works well and cheap. 14 out of a 3.4metre length for £9

 

[enrico]

I did the same thing. Cut a rectangle out of the back which covers my usual 8mm x 8cm entrance with the trunking 25cm long. Drilled three rows of 5mm holes to align with the entrance and left the ends on the trunking both open. It took about 20mins before the bees had it figured out. The wasps haven't a clue to good when feeding. Stuck on the entrance with the self adhesion. Keeps the wasps out during feeding. Am sure they will be good for mouse guards. Two other advantages. In summer you can slide or unclick the cover to expose the original entrance and secondly unclick when you want to vape and then pop it back on when done. Not my idea I hasten to add but it works well and cheap. 14 out of a 3.4metre length for £9

Careful if it rains. I used the adhesion method but they fell off in the rain so now I put a screw in each end through the side bars of the floor.
I also make it the whole width of the hive and cut the front in half so I can make the hole bigger or smaller and move it from one end to the other. I use a bit of sponge in either end so that they use the hole made by the cut rather than using the ends but hey, if it works then that is all that matters!

 

[rossbyjove]

Thank you. A really useful contribution.

I paid out quite a bit for a specially designed wasp excluder. Did it work? Yes, in that it kept wasps out.

But was it any good? No, it was useless. The entrance was so restricted that there was a rapid build up of detritus and dead bees within the hive. Foragers returning with pollen could not get in without a lot of it being dislodged. I considered it not fit for purpose.

So a practical inexpensive suggestion like this is brilliant. Thanks again.

I bought a ROBOBLOCK and it was useless, didn't even fit and I spent 20 minutes watching Bees going 'There is no way I can fit through that' so they used the 1 centimetre gap at the side.
Useless.
I just put in the old reduced entrance block and there seems to be about 20/30 bees at the entrance seeing off ANY intruders.
Only seen one wasp get in and that was carried out dead about a minute later.

 

[BernardBlack]

I used the 25mm because I wanted to make sure it covered the whole of an open entrance on a national. I find it easier to cut the central hole in the back of the u piece and use the cover to do the sliding. 25 mm allows bees to pass each other too.
View attachment 33530

I’m looking at sizes now online.

There are sizes 18mm x 9mm , 16mm x 16mm and 25mm x 16mm.

I thought firstly about the 18mm x 9mm. But seeing that you’re using 25mm x presumably 16mm, just wondered if yours worked well?

Or would a smaller trunking be better? (ie. 18 x 9mm)

 

[blackcloud]

18x 9 will work just fine at this time of year and will present more of a challenge to intruders.
It's still bigger than some wild colonies happily use.

 

[enrico]

I’m looking at sizes now online.

There are sizes 18mm x 9mm , 16mm x 16mm and 25mm x 16mm.

I thought firstly about the 18mm x 9mm. But seeing that you’re using 25mm x presumably 16mm, just wondered if yours worked well?

Or would a smaller trunking be better? (ie. 18 x 9mm)

I used the larger size for two reasons, the main one was that I already had it in the garage and secondly it fitted nicely over the entrance between the floor and the brood box with no gaps