Wasps

[Oaktreepotter]

I know there have been messages posted about wasps but I couldn't find a specific answer to my problem. One of my hives has been badly attacked by wasps and seem to have given up trying to defend the hive. I have reduced the entrance to one bee width, there are plenty of jam jar traps around (largely ignored) and despite bees hanging around the entrance, the wasps are coming in and out with indifference!

Would it be a good idea to combine what is left of the colony with a smaller one or should I continue to hope the wasps will die out before too long? I have been feeding sugar syrup to strengthen the colony and get them ready for winter but it doesn't seem to have helped.
Any advice would be gratefully received.
Chris

 

[Frisbee]

I think the main problem is the wasps will have been consuming the syrup, They are dying out, can you move the hive a small amount and put more traps where it stood? use syrup in the traps..........I know it is considered a no-no but if the wasps have been eating it then really it's the only thing that will attract them now, I've had a terrible problem with wasps this year and in desperation used syrup in my traps - it worked well and although I can't say there were no bees in them, there weren't many.

If the colony is small then uniting is possibly your best option. It's getting late in the year to get any stores into a small colony which may perish in the winter anyway.

Frisbee

 

[Oaktreepotter]

Thanks Frisbee, I'll give it a go.

Chris

 

[JCBrum]

It's getting late in the year to get any stores into a small colony which may perish in the winter anyway.

Frisbee

Do you consider Fondant blocks to be a suitable way to keep a colony going throughout winter when the stores are low ?

 

[Frisbee]

Do you consider Fondant blocks to be a suitable way to keep a colony going throughout winter when the stores are low ?

Could well be.......but I was thinking more along the lines of the colony being too small to sustain itself heat wise rather than food wise.

There have been some interesting links lately with regards to feeding fondant, they didn't however put up any negatives reasons regarding same, there must be some or no-one would ever consider feeding syrup.

Frisbee

 

[BKF Admin]

The only negative's I can think of in regards to feeding fondant is that the bees have to collect water to dilute it,yet with syrup they just have to fan off the excess water.

Also sugar can be purchased with the weekly shop yet fondant can be a pain to obtain if you only have a hive or two and don't want to pay a premuim for it through beekeeping suppliers.

 

[Nopants]

I think the main problem is the wasps will have been consuming the syrup, They are dying out, can you move the hive a small amount and put more traps where it stood? use syrup in the traps..........I know it is considered a no-no but if the wasps have been eating it then really it's the only thing that will attract them now, I've had a terrible problem with wasps this year and in desperation used syrup in my traps - it worked well and although I can't say there were no bees in them, there weren't many.

If the colony is small then uniting is possibly your best option. It's getting late in the year to get any stores into a small colony which may perish in the winter anyway.

Frisbee

Try mixing up a little sugar and water with a teaspoon of fairy liquid and a teaspoon of vinigar. The vinigar will keep the bees away and attract only wasps. The Fairy liquid will suck them in and drown them