Wasps already

[joctcl]

Ok its official my interest in wasps is now becoming obsessive

I forgot of course to check on the very man that was my ref for years for all things beekeeping.

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/wasptrap.html

Only one of those designs however would I consider as an "efficient" trap

 

[Erichalfbee]

There is another instalment on the wasp bane site

 

[kazmcc]

After telling everyone I haven't seen a wasp all year, one flew into my bedroom today while I was reading and blocked my escape! After much squealing, I found a route out via the bed, and abandoned the house. I ran round to Robs house and told him of my predicament. While I was waiting for him to get ready to help me, I spotted a bee on a flower in his garden, and was pulling back the petals to see her better when he came out. He looked at me, shook his head, said " I'll never understand you. " and walked towards my house. The wasp had gone, he reckons out the window, but I reckon it's hiding, waiting. Did I mention I'm scared of wasps still?

 

[TOBY-3652]

lots of wasps around at one of my apiaries treated 3 nests there today.. had put entrance blox in the ones that were out

 

[Erichalfbee]

Three? You better get busy on the thousands that are within flying distance of the hives, then

 

[wbchive]

My dad used to protest angrily to his neighbour who sat in his garden with an air rifle shooting the sparrows that visited his bean plants. The neighbour just kept on shooting. The sparrows just kept on visiting.

 

[Teemore]

I have started to see the odd wasp at home and in my apiaries. From their behavior, they seem to be starting to seek out sweet foodstuffs. Generally, it is only when they start looking for sugary foods that they become noticeable near the home. My other observation is that the wasps I have seen are tiny compared to what I am accustomed to see.
I checked a couple of hives for a friend the other evening and as soon as crown boards were lifted clear of the hives, a couple of wasps were seen to dive straight in. They didn't re-emerge..... Entrance blocks were reinstalled as the final part of the inspection and I have been refitting them to all my own stocks.

 

[user 6228]

Thank you for this Jenkinsbrynmair. I have added your recommendation to our IWM page for beekeepers. Still a fair ways to go but every little bit helps.

Cheers.

Note that honeybees in tree nests would have entrance depths of an average of 150mm . Thus it is highly likely that honeybees have defensive behaviours that utilise a long narrow tunnel against nest invaders. The insulating properties of the tunnel along with the flow along it of nest heat would also enable defenders in the tunnel to maintain thorax temperature in readiness for combat.

Honeybees need to have a raised thorax temperature for exertion and aggression.


(citations available)

 

[joctcl]

This thread has me reading the archives and there is an amazing set of posts about wasps and their behavior by Karol here.
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5818&highlight=wasp+trap

I bought one on the strength of it to try out one if nothing else.

Also discovered a new wasps nest in corner of house tonight, although they aren't anywhere my bees at the moment as I have young kids they will be getting the chop tomorrow the old fashioned way.

Observations so far with B.n.s trap is caught about 20 wasps over 4 days, I watched one on an off before the rain came yesterday for half an hour and no way could it get out.
I have caught about the same number of wax moths as well a potential problem I didn't even know I had!
My trial with cheaper versions I have decided will be away from hives in case they turn out to be rubbish and will also make up a one.

 

[Fatbee]

A few weeks back everybody was bemoaning wasps? What's the latest - seen very few in the vicinity of my hives. Will there be another wave if weather warms up again? Or have the failing wasps nests finished in this early season?

 

[Karol]

A few weeks back everybody was bemoaning wasps? What's the latest - seen very few in the vicinity of my hives. Will there be another wave if weather warms up again? Or have the failing wasps nests finished in this early season?

Haven't got going yet. Still early days. Wasps are still hunting. Warm wet summers mean lots of insects to support bigger wasp nests that mature later in the autumn. Worst is probably still to come and with bigger nests there is an increased risk of aggressive acute swarm feeding. Something to be vigilant about.

 

[oliver90owner]

A few weeks back everybody was bemoaning wasps?

Most certainly not everybody! It was likely those with weak colonies or with wasp traps dotted around the apiary.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Haven't got going yet.

I am still seeing wasps hunting caterpillars and rasping on wooden posts.
We have a nest in the roof of the garden shed and they are coming and going as always and eating out we are not bothered at all.
I have a couple of wasp bane traps deployed in the apiary, down wind of two hives and there are maybe a dozen wasps in each and none round the hives.

 

[Fatbee]

Thanks - makes sense now you explain it Karol on the predating . I was on the wasps side of the many arguments going on and wanted to see if it was going to reappear. Will watch the forum with interest for "wasps are attacking my hives what shall I do" to reappear

 

[oliver90owner]

That sort of thread only comes from those categories that bemoan the wasps.

Weak colonies, lack of attention to entrances by the beekeeper, or the beek attracting more wasps to the apiary are all prime cause of wasps robbing colonies. Once they start, it is difficult to stop them. Not so many beeks seem to understand that simple statement. Here it is again - 'once they start it is difficult to stop them'. The key is the beekeeper knowing and doing something up-front instead of waiting with their eyes closed and/or brain in neutral.

 

[Dishmop]

Out of curiousity, does anybody with urban hives have problems with wasps.

 

[sbisme]

I have an urban hive and have had wasps knocking around for a few weeks, got my entrance reducer on and a high efficiency wasp trap near by, which is catching wasps and no bees. The only trouble I seem to be having is every now and then a wasp will attack a bee and take it off, and although I try and clean up any dead bees outside the hive they are eating them too. But so far so good the bees are holding there own.

 

[REDWOOD]

I have two hives at the back of someone's garden that live happily there with a wasps nest in a bank about 10 yards away, but I have to say I never take the entrance blocks out and the bees are rather a defensive lot anyway

 

[Karol]

I have an urban hive and have had wasps knocking around for a few weeks, got my entrance reducer on and a high efficiency wasp trap near by, which is catching wasps and no bees. The only trouble I seem to be having is every now and then a wasp will attack a bee and take it off, and although I try and clean up any dead bees outside the hive they are eating them too. But so far so good the bees are holding there own.

I would venture that urban hives get a significantly longer wasp season than rural hives the reason being that proactive nest eradication in urban areas is likely to lead to more nuisance (sweet feeding) wasps being generated earlier in the year.

 

[user 6228]

wasps very noticeable today. Most of the colonies have narrow tunnel like entrances, and the weakest colonies have now been combined so we shouldnt have too much trouble.