Wasps around hives.

[Firegazer]

Reduce the entrance WHEN they don't need it big anymore (September ish?). This improves the bees' odds as they have more individuals inside that tiny gap than the attacking wasps have on the outside - keeps the fight unfair

Put lots of wasp traps out filled with cheap cider - bees have better taste, wasps don't and die in them. This reduces the wasp population a bit in the area.

Putting traps near hives seems weird to me: "come over here, there's a lovely smell - oh, but don't go for the honey, go for the cheap cider" - seems a bit risky to me.

FG

 

[DianeJones]

I've only seen one so far - came in an back out very quickly.

 

[kronkie]

Can I kill them some way,maybe putting some petrol down the nest entrance?

 

[oliver90owner]

Easy. Petrol or propane can be very explosive! Use an insecticide powder like ant-killer. A few small doses into the hole will get them quite quickly a sthey walk the powder into the nest.

RAB

 

[Chris Luck]

You use pesticides and keep bees?

Chris

 

[BKF Admin]

You use pesticides and keep bees?

Chris

Yes I do,I use ant powder/fly spray at home,diesel for any wasp nests in the ground I find around the Apiary.

We have members who think I am the devil himself for doing so whilst we also have members who think I should be praised for increasing their shares value with the big corps.

The good thing about this forum is we have a full range of beekeepers from the greenest of green TBH owners to scientists who work for the big agro/chem companies.

Its what makes us interesting as we get a full range of views and opinions without to much fighting,it also allows no common group to get a foothold in turning the forum to far to the left or the right of the midground.

 

[steveselvage]

I use flying insect killer from b&q and just empty the whole thing into the nest, their gone in an hour.I have used diesel in the past but it just seemed to move them on somewhere else.
Last year my neighbour had a wasp nest under an old stone sink in his front garden next to the pavement, he stuck a sign up saying 'beware of bees' one evening a mysterious white powder appeared over the nest and they were gone. nothing was ever mentioned.

 

[susbees]

Wonderful . Partner went to investigate the honey bees (few) going into the eaves right outside son's bedroom window and above the French doors (often open) to find a wasps' nest. Powder straight in. For the greater good...probably a tiny caste getting robbed our of existence: never seen more than one bee at a time...and yes I know the difference!!!

 

[andypigeon]

not yet i lost 2 hives last year to them, one of the hives had about 10,000 wasps in it.

 

[Chris Luck]

The good thing about this forum is we have a full range of beekeepers from the greenest of green TBH owners to scientists who work for the big agro/chem companies.

Its what makes us interesting as we get a full range of views and opinions without to much fighting,it also allows no common group to get a foothold in turning the forum to far to the left or the right of the midground.

I think that's what makes all open membership forums interesting, I certainly want to know how it actually is and not how one particular person or group acts or views a subject. It's the only way a person can be informed, providing as you say, the greys don't overrun the reds.

Why I find the subject of "social wasps" interesting in terms of honey bee colonies is that here, in France, where we have large numbers of wasps, particularly the European hornet which is really common, is that in my experience they have no real impact on a hive. Hornets nick bees from in front of the hive to feed their larvae but the numbers of bees killed are insignificant. Vespula vulgaris and similar species seem to just keep away. Paper wasps, Polistes sp. are everywhere and very common but these will only attempt to enter the hive individually in late season, end Sept/Oct.

So, the puzzle for me is why are they an issue in the UK?

I should add perhaps that we do have Vespa velutina, Asian Hornet, in the region which does require extreme vigilance, but this is of course an introduced species.

Best control method, squash racket patrols in the spring, early morning or evening, swat any queens.

Chris

 

[oliver90owner]

Chris Luck,

Yes, I do use pesticides where appropriate, but not in excessive quantities.

Wasps are a nuisance for beekeepers in the UK because of later swarming, queen rearing, nuc production etc. and slower build up of the afrementioned. My experience is that they will attack any weak colony. Weak from size, health or hive security.

No problem with strong healthy colonies in wasp-tight hives.

Some on here last year were suffering wasp damage and most lost their colonies, simply because they did not add enough bees to repel the boarders to those colonies under severe attack. I watch mine. If/when a wasp gains entry, it either 'high-tails it out' in about 5 seconds or is carried out in about 5 minutes. If neither of those scenarios apply, I am closing down the entrance and checking out for the degree of damage inflicted, likely followed by uniting, or adding a lot more bees from a strong colony.

Being, generally, a little further north our wasp season will precede yours, of course.

Hope that helps to sort out the enigma.

Regards, RAB

 

[Chris Luck]

Many thanks for the informative reply. It really is fascinating trying to understand the difference between where I am and the UK, although I suppose it must vary enormously there from north to south, east to west?

Are bee colonies that much smaller or weaker in the UK? I know that's a bit open ended but it does seem to be implied, also I find the notion of adding bees a little strange, but if as you say swarms are later....but then why should that be, surely, unless I've got it wrong swarms are, (or were), expected in May and June in the UK

BTW please just call me Chris.

Chris

 

[MuswellMetro]

It really is fascinating trying to understand the difference between where I am and the UK, although I suppose it must vary enormously there from north to south, east to west?

unless I've got it wrong swarms are, (or were), expected in May and June in the UK

BTW please just call me Chris.

Chris

You also get micro climate, So in london, we can get swarms from the 1st April, this year due to the late spring, the first to arrupt was on 24th April and honey in September

Size, i have 70,000 bees per hive on on 11 frames of 14x12 @35mm hoffmans, dont know how that relates to your set up.I can use 12 frames but its tight,however an extra drawn14x12 frame with 7500 cells pushed in, can stop a swarmy hive in an emergency

 

[oliver90owner]

Chris,

It's not the early swarms, etc. Just the later ones and the casts. A lot of nucs were not delivered until June and they are still in fair demand now. It will be these later ones which will be more prone to wasp attack. Or those with high numbers of varroa mite, or the new beeks just starting, etc, etc.

My view is: if they can't repel them, either reinforce or unite. Better than losing a lot of bees.

Regards, RAB

 

[BKF Admin]

Chris do you use the metal strips that look like mouse guards on your hives to keep out the hornets ?

 

[Chris Luck]

The ones I have are plastic, colour coded green for Hornets, but I don't actually use them for that purpose or I haven't had to so far. One of the problems is that at the time of year Hornet workers are around in large numbers - mid August till late Oct the hives are too busy and full to restrict access down to such a small space, especially Aug / Sept when it can also be very hot.

I use them for preventing new swarms from absconding in the first two days because the Queen can't get out.

Back on the other bits later.

Chris

 

[Mike a]

Today I saw my first three wasps of the year trying to get into my hives but never again.

 

[kazmcc]

I have so much to learn Interesting thread. I am new to this, but as I have a phobia of bees ( long story about why I am now becoming a bee keeper lol ) I can just about stomach bees, but wasps send me over the edge.

Do wasps behave similarly to bees with regards to their nests? What goes on inside one? More daft questions I know but you've all been telling me to just ask so here they are

 

[Firegazer]

Kazmcc,
keep them coming, we'll try and keep up with you ;-)

Here's my few bits:

The standard yellow wasp build papery nests out of chewed up wood. They get it from old trees, fences (look for small bits missing as though you've scraped a finger nail along them for 6 - 10 mm).

Only the queen over-winters, stuck somewhere protected like a loft or dry-stone wall. She starts building up her colony in Spring. They mainly eat insects like aphids and blackfly during the Summer, so are good news then. When the Autumn comes and it gets chilly, they are a big colony and have few insects to catch so they get more desperate to find energy. They can detect honey a long way off and will 'try their luck' against hives, seeing if they can get away with an attack. Weak colonies get picked off and their stores nicked.

I guess they are similar to Hyenas - don't take on a big heathy animal (or colony) unless you have to, look for the weaker ones first.

If beeks try and make increase too late, and still have a small colony by Autumn/Winter, the wasps are a big threat to it.

Hope that helps.

FG

 

[oliver90owner]

loft or dry-stone wall.

They do, but better to insert 'north-facing banks'. Wasps have been around a LOT longer than either lofts or dry-stone walls!

They select a north-facing bank, so that they do not emerge prematurely in springtime and either starve or lose an early nest (due to a change back to wintry conditions). Good example of natural selection, that.

Regards, RAB