BBKA Forum

British Beekeepers Association Official Forum 

  • Asian Hornet Queens.

  • Honeybee pests and diseases.
Honeybee pests and diseases.
 #1473  by Steve (The Drone)
 04 Dec 2018, 18:55
The Newly emerged fertile Queen Wasp needs large quantities of nectar to fuel her while she builds her nest and begins to lay her first eggs. It has often been said that the first plant utilised by wasps is the humble gooseberry and that by monitoring the gooseberry flowers the wasp queens can be eliminated. ( not that that is a god idea! ). Presumably Asian Hornet Queen also require a nectar kickstart. Perhaps this could be the ideal site for hornet monitoring traps come Spring. I've checked most of the information posts available for info on the Queen's first meal but still nothing very detailed.
Steve.
 #1476  by Chrisbarlow
 04 Dec 2018, 21:36
I have no idea. but it must be something worth discussing because with all the nests this year, theyve gotta be here now.
 #1481  by AdamD
 05 Dec 2018, 16:50
Hivelifter2 wrote:
05 Dec 2018, 09:23
I have heard that Camellias are a strong favourite for them.
Ideal for a hornet trap site perhaps?
 #1483  by NigelP
 05 Dec 2018, 17:18
Interesting thought Steve, but where I live, at least, inaccurate. Queen wasps are active long before our gooseberry bushes flower.
Willow would be a possibility as one of our earliest nectar sources. But Queen wasps living on their fat reserves build up the previous autumn would be my guess.
 #1489  by Cable_Fairy
 06 Dec 2018, 17:50
Hivelifter2 wrote:
06 Dec 2018, 10:46
Not sure if this has been aired anywhere on here but have just seen an article on Asian Hornet on the new BeeCraft website. It includes two videos from a chap in Normandy. Very interesting and informative. See www.bee-craft.com
Asian hornet update.
TonyS.
Everyone should view this.
 #1492  by DianeBees
 06 Dec 2018, 18:27
No. 2: Map out your Local Area

https://bee-craft.com/asian-hornet-updates


That's an interesting point : Scrutinise a map of your own area and see what fields/other places of uncertain ownership are in your vicinity. Make/ local enquiries now. If there is an Asian Hornet sighting and the need to start tracking down nests, you will know at once who to ask for permission to walk over their land and place bait stations.
 #1493  by NigelP
 06 Dec 2018, 18:28
Cable_Fairy wrote:
06 Dec 2018, 17:50
Everyone should view this.
Can'y t find any Asian Hornets but by "should view this" are you referring to the new beekeeping apparel for hot summers they show? :)

Image
 #1497  by DianeBees
 08 Dec 2018, 12:18
https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/109164

The paper nests of V. velutina are usually built in tree canopies well above the ground, or occasionally in undisturbed and sheltered areas in buildings (under stairwells, in abandoned barns, chicken coops or sections of buildings, etc.) or in bramble bushes, and very rarely underground (Martin, 1995; Rome et al., 2009). See the Habitat table for the types of habitat in which the species is found.

In Jersey they was a nest on the outside of a building, high up... easier to spot I suppose than the bramble nest.

So anywhere.