Wasps

[Roola]

After my inspection this evening I noticed a number of wasps (the smaller british ones) flying around below my hive. Saw one attacking a bee on the floor but wasn't sure if this was one that was on its last legs anyway (I killed the wasp!) I was wondering if people see many wasps around their hives and whether they are a problem or if the bees take them out? My hive are quite strong. Any advice on getting rid of the wasps or should I just not worry about it?

Ta

 

[Queens59]

Wasps can wipe out quite a few bees, and many people make their own wasp traps, using jam jars and old pop bottles... I'm sure there is a thread somewhere about content...I seem to remember banana peel, vinegar...sugar? and something else might have been squash? Oh, can't remember someone will put me right shortly no doubt

I saw several wasps in the garden this afternoon eating my wooden veg. trough. Does anyone know if wasps stealing nest materials in the garden means the nest is close??

 

[Roola]

Wasps can wipe out quite a few bees, and many people make their own wasp traps, using jam jars and old pop bottles... I'm sure there is a thread somewhere about content...I seem to remember banana peel, vinegar...sugar? and something else might have been squash? Oh, can't remember someone will put me right shortly no doubt

I saw several wasps in the garden this afternoon eating my wooden veg. trough. Does anyone know if wasps stealing nest materials in the garden means the nest is close??

hmmm. that was what i was wondering... would people suggest I hang a wasp trap near the entrance? Any advice on a simple design also greatly appreciated.

 

[madasafish]

Take one clear plastic bottle - about 0.5 to 1 litre. Remove top. (and labels)
Cut in half. About half way up.

Place bottom half on table/ground.
Invert top half and place with neck inside bottom half.
Seal two halves together with gaffer tape.

You now have a trap : the wasps will get in through the inverted top but when trying to get out will go to the light and fail to find the entrance.

For bait a mix of jam(strawberry or raspberry) some fruit - rotten soft fruit - a little sugar and enough water to cover said mix and about 4-5 cms deep. Add a dash of vinegar to discourage bees.

Place under hives or near them where it will not be blown over.

It will ripen as it ages and become irresistible to wasps on a hot day.. which enter,cannot get out and collapse and die drowned in the mix.

 

[Dishmop]

I have seen a wasp hovering over the grass looking for victims to pounce on. It wasnt interested in the dead ones.

 

[village girl]

I had a real problem with wasps and just one hive last year, week hive wich I lost over winter, I dident use a wasp trap near my hives as I thought it would encorage more wasps to the apery. I was told to get a fake wasp nest to hang up amongst the hives as this will discorage them from the area. Has anyone elce tried them and do they work ?

 

[beeno]

Hi all and Roola,
Wasps seems to be early this year. One or two trying to gain entrance already, but many bumble bees doing the same this year! Never seen so many bumbles. I just made one hole size of 'small wine cork' below the neck of a 2 litre plastic bottle. Did this because the other method kept falling over in the wind. Full up with bees at the end of last season. My hives, apart from the PH. have mouse guard style entrances so it is much more difficult for wasps to sneak in. Works a treat. Just had entrance block delivered from P..... same possibility available there now.

 

[Karol]

I had a real problem with wasps and just one hive last year, week hive wich I lost over winter, I dident use a wasp trap near my hives as I thought it would encorage more wasps to the apery. I was told to get a fake wasp nest to hang up amongst the hives as this will discorage them from the area. Has anyone elce tried them and do they work ?

It depends on the trap that you use. Low efficiency wasp traps allow wasps to enter, feed and escape. These wasps then head back to their nests to bring back more wasps and this makes the problem worse. Unfortunately, because low efficiency traps always look busy with wasps it gives the impression that they are working when in fact they are adding to your problems.

High efficiency wasp traps on the other hand kill all of the wasps that they catch and therefore help and can be placed near or even on the hives themselves.

Fake wasp nests are a marketing gimmick. I was asked to market (as an exclusive agent) such a product in the UK on behalf of a North American company. We trialled the fake nests and they simply do not work. They are a sophisticated marketing ploy - little more. Ask any pest controller and they will tell you that they frequently encounter more than one nest in confined attic spaces.

Kind regards,

Karol

 

[Essexgary]

I had a real problem with wasps and just one hive last year, week hive wich I lost over winter, I dident use a wasp trap near my hives as I thought it would encorage more wasps to the apery. I was told to get a fake wasp nest to hang up amongst the hives as this will discorage them from the area. Has anyone elce tried them and do they work ?

Hi i have tried them and they are rubbish. All they do is provide a nice place for wasps to sit on while they plan their next move. Dont bother.

I use the jam/sugar/vinegar/water mix as suggested but with a couple of drips of washing-up liquid as i think i read somewhere that this removes the stickiness from their feet (excuse my entomology knowledge!)

Gary

 

[Roola]

couple of drips of washing-up liquid as i think i read somewhere that this removes the stickiness from their feet (excuse my entomology knowledge!)

Gary

I'd reckon the washing up liquid is more to remove the surface tension of the liquid so that they instantly sink rather than float on surface.

 

[alldigging]

I'd reckon the washing up liquid is more to remove the surface tension of the liquid so that they instantly sink rather than float on surface.

That'll be the main reason.

One high efficiency wasp trap suggests using honey as bait.

 

[stephenpug]

Just put an entrance reducer on your hive so your bees can defend it easier and stops the wasps of forming the habit of robbing your hive because it is easy to rob

 

[Queens59]

Take one clear plastic bottle - about 0.5 to 1 litre. Remove top. (and labels)
Cut in half. About half way up.

Place bottom half on table/ground.
Invert top half and place with neck inside bottom half.
Seal two halves together with gaffer tape.

You now have a trap : the wasps will get in through the inverted top but when trying to get out will go to the light and fail to find the entrance.

For bait a mix of jam(strawberry or raspberry) some fruit - rotten soft fruit - a little sugar and enough water to cover said mix and about 4-5 cms deep. Add a dash of vinegar to discourage bees.

Place under hives or near them where it will not be blown over.

It will ripen as it ages and become irresistible to wasps on a hot day.. which enter,cannot get out and collapse and die drowned in the mix.

it works really well. Not sure if a bottle with a hole in would work? By cutting the bottle in half the silly wasps can't work out how to fly back out

 

[busybee53]

I use the sugar, bit of old jam, vinegar mix but in large jam jar. Small hole in lid. Trap can stand or be hung in a tree. Makes disgusting wasp soup. Empty and re-fill.

 

[Winker]

wasp trap from last year

 

[Karol]

That'll be the main reason.

One high efficiency wasp trap suggests using honey as bait.

The addition of washing up liquid is a myth. It does break down surface tension which means that the first few wasps can't escape and drown quite quickly. However, the abdomen of wasps is virtually entirely hollow save for the sexual organs and stinger in the last segment which means that when wasp drown their abdomens become buoyancy aids and they then float. In practice these first drowned wasps then create a floating raft which prevents other wasps from drowning. Unless the trap has appropriate 'wasp retention technology' (for want of a better way of describing it), the wasps then find their way out and the trap ends up attracting more wasps than were there in the first place.

As for use of honey in traps, then provided the mix is at the right strength, the addition of other ingredients adulterates the honey sufficiently so as not to attract bees (in any meaningful numbers that is).

Regards,

Karol

 

[MuswellMetro]

hmmm. that was what i was wondering... would people suggest I hang a wasp trap near the entrance? Any advice on a simple design also greatly appreciated.

it is not a problem this time of year as the wasps are only after the corpse of the bee to feed their young

later in the year they will rob hives of honey ,so you need to reduce the entrance to allow the bees a chance to defend....traps ,well do they attrack or deter wasps, i have always felt for traps near hives, the former

Now Hornets, well they snatch them in the air, behead the bees and take the body back to their nest

 

[user 6228]

what wasps? havent more than a handful all year...

 

[Roola]

it is not a problem this time of year as the wasps are only after the corpse of the bee to feed their young

later in the year they will rob hives of honey ,so you need to reduce the entrance to allow the bees a chance to defend....traps ,well do they attrack or deter wasps, i have always felt for traps near hives, the former

Now Hornets, well they snatch them in the air, behead the bees and take the body back to their nest

thats interesting as there were a number of dead old bees around the floor where they were hovering about so that might explain it.... still don't want them near my girls!

 

[merylvingien]

Use a free disused pop bottle, or pay 30 odd quid for a disused pop bottle with a label on it?

I know which one i would use...

Karol still here, still pushing his "high efficiency" wasp traps i see.

I say no more.