Recent content by rdartington

I am still struggling to understand the objection to trapping. If …. I do say if …a trap is properly designed, the entrance will just admit AH queen but NOT European hornet queen , or even worker, which is bigger. Smaller by-catch, eg wasps, will escape thru roof holes too small for AH to...

Because the NBU approach has NOT eliminated velutina. 20+ nests eliminated in 2022, 72 nests in following year 2023, ie 3 times as many. Andrew Durham’ three ‘Special Briefings’ on hornets in France are available on utube. AH arrived as one Q in 2004. Has now covered all France and is invading...

Correction: when putting out bait, it should have a cover that lets AH in and out but not European hornets. Well, yes. Have just searched nationalbeeunit.com. Says ‘low risk of overwintered Q’s in Kent, East Sussex, Devon, North Yorkshire which will be monitored with traps. If credible...

This post and those above all seem negative about dealing with hornets once they reach the hawking stage - but the extensive study identified before was not. The study did not mention use of custard so lets clarify what we might do in UK. Spring: hang traps to catch foundress queens if lucky...

No, bees will not take in bail with fipronil as the bait is meat or fish - attractive to hornets but not insects seeking sweets, like bees. Bees should always have access to clean water - or water with a bit of cow dung for added flavour.

Thanks for this clarification. As I now understand, for rechecking before I pass on to my association members: Nest detection by NBU and total killing by injection of an insecticide wand is best as ensures total destruction. But detection takes time and NBU has only a limited number of...

This has been a very informative discussion - thanks to all. Using traps to discover when AH are local to you , then calling in NBU to track down and finally inject insecticide into a nest high in a tree seems a very heavyweight process which is also dependent on NBU having enough inspectors to...

If a cavity is in sunlight, will not a well insulated cavity stay cool inside while a thin walled box will heat up inside? If yes, scouts could distinguish.

No proof - its a hypothesis. I am looking for ways to get data. That is how progress is made I had thought that raising the possibility might get a useful response from the leaders on this forum - but no. A lack of interest in moving forward from beekeeping practices that date from the late...

What is interesting me is what effect on the efficiency of the colony/super-organism, whenever bees of different ages/gland development are induced away from the area in the nest where they were carrying out the tasks appropriate to their age, and induced to fill up with honey, because of...

No such thing as common sense? what happened during the 20 million or so thru which humans evolved - and before scientific studies started??? When humans first found that they could use fire to cook food, did they stop to wait for a ‘scientific study’ on whether it was heat or something else...

Try it, yes. But an undesturbed colony will of course be consuming homey -its what honey is stored for! Why assume the disturbance of opening is needed to provoke some bees to do this. The question we should be addressing is whether smoking provokes excessive honey gorging - and then whether...

Ann’s own article - and the South `African one - move us forward. Are we mostly now agreed with the following? 1. Honey bees have an evolved response to smoke that makes them fill their honey stomachs, then to await the arrival of a forest fire and then to use the honey in their stomachs...

This is the first time in 57 years that I have met CBPV - ‘ times they are a-changing’. I am caught out as my Dartingtonhives have fixed mesh floors - could be changed to loose floors just resting inside the hive body - until changed, I cannot acheive the free fall of dying bees. Will have to...

Slight problem is outside temperature. my vaporiser says above 4degC So not before Thursday this week. Looks like hovering at 5deg after that. Hives are insulated - does that make outside temp less important?