Wasps

[melias]

Any clever ideas on how to deal with a hive that is bring attacked by large numbers of wasps day after day? It's my gentlest colony and unfortunately they seem to be gentle with the invaders.

I'm feeding at the moment and have been thinking about removing the syrup and then restarting once (hopefully) things settle down.

 

[Alabamaeee]

You have probably already done this, but close the entrance down to 1 or two bee width so they can better defend it.
If you can - move the hive to another location temporarily.

 

[melias]

Yes, should have mentioned that I have reduced entrance to a couple of bee widths.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

There's a trick around somewhere of using plastic channels to divert the entrance. Have a google. Also, follow protocols (google again) such as not spilling feed, feeding after dark etc. When I have trouble it is always self-inflicted. Prevention is better than cure. Not much use now, but it helps to understand; it may be something you are still doing. Also look at @Karol's work on here and the Waspbane trap. $$$ but it seems to be useful.

 

[kevrhcfag]

Few tricks people have used on here glass in of entrance confuses them to bees seem OK supposedly.

Move the hive a bit.

Feed fondant instead of syrup (if not for treatment)

Wash away any spillage (if possible)

Close it for a day.

Small entrance strong enough hive usually take care of themselves.

 

[Millet]

I had some great advice from Karol last year which worked.
Move the hive three foot or less and place a high efficiency wasp trap (waspbane) in its place at the same height of the hive entrance, it helps if you can suspend the trap to stop slugs from blocking it up.
Next step, a reduced entrance is not much good if they are swarming your hive, you need too make a tunnel type entrance.
I made one my self, the entrance is 8mm high 100mm wide and 100mm deep into the hive, it also doubles up as a mouse guard.
I have sat and viewed my hive since last year and wasps 100% can not fight all the way through the tunnel and they sharp come back out and try another way of gaining entry.

Here is the modified entrance i made, i have posted the pictures before but you may have missed them.

 

[fatshark]

I found this a day or two ago ... I'd make the 'tunnel' longer and narrower, but the idea is good.

https://beebedlam.co.uk/2016/08/28/fitting-porches/

 

[Erichalfbee]

Here is the modified entrance i made, i have posted the pictures before but you may have missed them.

I like the look of these. I have top space so the frames will get stuck to it, but I suppose it's no great shakes to pull the thing out gently before inspecting the hive. Perhaps I could make a protruding version? I say make...I design, Stan makes

 

[taurus]

I cut the side out of a 2 litre milk bottle. The plastic can be folded to make a channel which I pinned over the entrance, same idea as the porch above but cheaper.

It seems to work very well

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

@Millet I love that! A sort of simplified under-floor entrance. Great stuff, thanks. Just a few minutes' routing as well

 

[Millet]

I like the look of these. I have top space so the frames will get stuck to it, but I suppose it's no great shakes to pull the thing out gently before inspecting the hive. Perhaps I could make a protruding version? I say make...I design, Stan makes

If you put your mind to it you can make anything , on the tunnel entrance a fare bit of wood can be easily removed so only the tunnel surface has any issues with top/bottom bee space.

 

[Millet]

@Millet I love that! A sort of simplified under-floor entrance. Great stuff, thanks. Just a few minutes' routing as well

Here it is reversed from left to right with a 50mm wooden shim slid in, it cabbaged the bees good style but even more so the wasps, the bees got the hang of it quickly but the wasps decided it was a bad idea to try and sneak in there. . I wonder why. ? .

 

[user 6228]

I had some great advice from Karol last year which worked.
Move the hive three foot or less and place a high efficiency wasp trap (waspbane) in its place at the same height of the hive entrance, it helps if you can suspend the trap to stop slugs from blocking it up.
Next step, a reduced entrance is not much good if they are swarming your hive, you need too make a tunnel type entrance.
I made one my self, the entrance is 8mm high 100mm wide and 100mm deep into the hive, it also doubles up as a mouse guard.
I have sat and viewed my hive since last year and wasps 100% can not fight all the way through the tunnel and they sharp come back out and try another way of gaining entry.

Here is the modified entrance i made, i have posted the pictures before but you may have missed them.

is this just a straight rout from front to back?

 

[Millet]

is this just a straight rout from front to back?

Yes Derek or there about, i do not have a router so i did several cuts with a hand saw and used a sharp wood chisel, you could put a S bend in it if you had the tools and felt creative, or even cut it out at a angle to make the tunnel longer, that one works fine for me though.

 

[user 15607]

I had this problem a couple of seasons ago and nearly lost a couple of colonies, last year i invested in a Vita ApiShield and managed to trap a few thousand wasps, highly recommended.

 

[Millet]

Why invest, make your own. problem solved.

 

[user 15607]

Made my own, all sorts, never worked, waste of time and effort, invested, problem solved!

 

[Millet]

Made my own, all sorts, never worked, waste of time and effort, invested, problem solved!

If you are no good with DIY you done the right thing by buying the product.

 

[TooBee...]

I had this problem a couple of seasons ago and nearly lost a couple of colonies, last year i invested in a Vita ApiShield and managed to trap a few thousand wasps, highly recommended.

That sounds great, after all the greatest attractant to Wasps is the Bee Hive, and the ApiGuard appears to have a high success rate in capturing Wasps and preventing them from escaping.

HOWEVER my main concern with the ApiGuard is ALSO capturing my own Bees, did you not find some bees amongst the wasps? Their literature makes a passing reference to the fact that some bees are caught because of Drifting and Robbing, but does not give numbers - if it was only a 10 to 1 ratio then I could live with that.

What was your experience, how many bees amongst your 1000 wasps did you find? If not many, do you know why the numbers were so low?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'm feeding at the moment .

Which is probably why you have so many wasps - and if your colony is so weak that it needs feeding at this time of year, it's probably unable to defend itself.