Worst Year for European Hornets and Wasps?

[Karol]

If honey bees are collecting nectar then usually so are the wasps during the autumn, early on the ivy often has almost as many wasps foraging from it as honey bees, if the bees are not foraging then they usually stay at home.



The ivy in this area usually carries on flowering until mid December and there are never very many wasps still alive by then around here, wonder why that is with such an abundant source of nectar.

Partly dictated by when Queen wasps cease to lay, partly down to local climate, partly down to predation especially in areas with high bird and hornet populations which specialise in hunting wasps, partly down to exposure to winds and partly down to natural aging.

In other parts of the country wasps survive in quite large numbers right into December and it has been known that hives have been attacked as late as January although this is rare.

 

[Insy]

Im in the same situation in Essex I’m hand squatting wasps and hornets whilst inspecting managed to hand squat 15 hornets this week plus tons in traps always see a few hovering around the apiary.
I was told several drops of flea programme mixed with cat food or corned beef is a good way to knock a few off when they go back to neat so I’m going to try it this week I have no issues with hornets normally but had one dive straight into a Nuc when I took roof off and it was balled instantly and helped dispatch it with a firm press on its head.
My bees are more important to me than any hornet or wasp if that means I’m a ignorant person so be it

 

[Karol]

Insy, please don't lace cat food or corned beef with pesticide. There's too high a risk that you'll poison other non-intended species including birds, hedgehogs, cats etc. Besides, once wasps are in their sweet feeding phase they'll largely ignore the protein bait.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Im in the same situation in Essex I’m hand squatting wasps and hornets whilst inspecting managed to hand squat 15 hornets this week plus tons in traps always see a few hovering around the apiary.
I was told several drops of flea programme mixed with cat food or corned beef is a good way to knock a few off when they go back to neat so I’m going to try it this week I have no issues with hornets normally but had one dive straight into a Nuc when I took roof off and it was balled instantly and helped dispatch it with a firm press on its head.
My bees are more important to me than any hornet or wasp if that means I’m a ignorant person so be it

What an absolutely moronic idiot.
To put it nicely
Being ignorant is the least of your worries.
Although you've also turned that into an art form.

 

[Insy]

Thanks I’m not one to care about others opinions, but I do listen to them and forntour information I’m not leaving it out for everything it will be in a wasp type trap but instead of them drowning they will get the chance to fly out or die inside either way.

Others have tried it and said it works so I’m going to try it, if it works it will be good enough for me.

 

[beeno]

No hornets around my hives today and the activity around their nests were substantially reduced. Put the mouse guards on the hives this afternoon and all the bees were happy to go in and get a bit of peace from guard duties. Will move the tower over to reduce a very large wasp nest in size once I have finished trimming the hedge. Hopefully this will bring some peace in the apiary so that the bees can carry on with the winter preps!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

to reduce a very large wasp nest in size!

Dont forget to video the process. - Give us all a laugh

 

[beeno]

Dont forget to video the process. - Give us all a laugh

See what I can do. I shall give you the count anyhow since some of you take such an interest.