Asian Hornet - Update

[Erichalfbee]

Those two hornets did well to build that great big nest in the top of the tree.

Those were the ones that were found in a trap
The ones that built the nest were at Tetbury?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Those were the ones that were found in a trap
The ones that built the nest were at Tetbury?

correct - and the two found in the trap were caught in the spring.

 

[Erichalfbee]

correct - and the two found in the trap were caught in the spring.

Curiouser and curiouser
If they were caught in the spring it might be right to assume they were in a sentinel trap.
Very observant then.....................

 

[Anduril]

I'm puzzled.
About an hour ago, I read an item on the BBC news website saying that Defra had announced that the Asian hornet event had been contained. The Mendip event was just 2 individual hornets.

I tried looking on Beebase without success. A recent return to the BBC site has drawn a blank ---- typical of my computer skills.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37871879 This is it

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Here's a link to this evening's BBC Spotlight piece on the Asian Hornet and how to make a trap - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-37867215

CVB

 

[Erichalfbee]

Here's a link to this evening's BBC Spotlight piece on the Asian Hornet and how to make a trap - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-37867215

CVB

I see it works so quickly you have to have your bee suit on while you're making it.

 

[Brian Bush]

Curiouser and curiouser
If they were caught in the spring it might be right to assume they were in a sentinel trap.
Very observant then.....................

It was apparently caught in the Spring. The catcher put it in a jar and sought advice of colleagues who said it was not an Asian Hornet. The catcher kept it to show others. When the Tetbury flap took off the evidence was re-examined and identified as an Asian hornet.
I don't know where the 2 came from as my information was that it was only one.

 

[Karol]

The video is alarmist rubbish!

Yes one queen might go on to produce 6000 hornets. Yes a colony might produce 350 queens. NO there will not be 350 queens that survive into the following spring. Far from it. The survival rate of queens is very very low. For wasps it's about 1 per 1500 produced that survive. I suspect the survival rate for velutina queens won't be much better than 1 per 350 so there's every chance that no queens will naturally survive from a single nest.

 

[Brian Bush]

The video is alarmist rubbish!

Yes one queen might go on to produce 6000 hornets. Yes a colony might produce 350 queens. NO there will not be 350 queens that survive into the following spring. Far from it. The survival rate of queens is very very low. For wasps it's about 1 per 1500 produced that survive. I suspect the survival rate for velutina queens won't be much better than 1 per 350 so there's every chance that no queens will naturally survive from a single nest.

That is good to know. Every chance that this may have been a warning and we could remain clear for several more seasons?

 

[domino]

If they have really contained it bee inspectors won't ever need to buy a drink again

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37871879

 

[Erichalfbee]

It was apparently caught in the Spring. The catcher put it in a jar and sought advice of colleagues who said it was not an Asian Hornet. The catcher kept it to show others. When the Tetbury flap took off the evidence was re-examined and identified as an Asian hornet.
I don't know where the 2 came from as my information was that it was only one.

Thank you Brian.
Lucky he kept it. I hope he showed it to his colleagues again

 

[Erichalfbee]

Nothing on Beebase
How about something from the SBIs on this forum?
Good news though.

 

[domino]

The video is alarmist rubbish!

Yes one queen might go on to produce 6000 hornets. Yes a colony might produce 350 queens. NO there will not be 350 queens that survive into the following spring. Far from it. The survival rate of queens is very very low. For wasps it's about 1 per 1500 produced that survive. I suspect the survival rate for velutina queens won't be much better than 1 per 350 so there's every chance that no queens will naturally survive from a single nest.

Why is the survival rate so low, is it because they have to over winter?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I don't know where the 2 came from as my information was that it was only one.

My source said only one as well

 

[Plenty of honey]

The video is alarmist rubbish!

Yes one queen might go on to produce 6000 hornets. Yes a colony might produce 350 queens. NO there will not be 350 queens that survive into the following spring. Far from it. The survival rate of queens is very very low. For wasps it's about 1 per 1500 produced that survive. I suspect the survival rate for velutina queens won't be much better than 1 per 350 so there's every chance that no queens will naturally survive from a single nest.

I saw this video on spotlight this morning.Karol is right but i would say they nest numbers of Hornets generally are lower here ( northern Brittany), so i imagine, lower still in the uk.

Winter survival rates are low because a lot do actually die. Predation by mice and other small mammals whilst dormant and generally not all may be well mated or possible parasitised bu the small predators wasp Canopsis Vesticularis. They did have at least one natural predator, sadly it does attack the common hornet too!!

I have said this before, that combined with the fact that there wont be many queen hornets around in the spring, drilling a 7mm hole in a already selective trap will almost certainly deter an Asian Hornet from entering the trap in the first place. They wont get out as they always travel upwards but outwards, to escape.
It was a good job those beekeepers were wearing their suits. Fierce bombardment of fresh air!!
a good couple of videos on treatment:

https://youtu.be/VlEctITs73w

https://youtu.be/PO5_povzoP4 good to see a conservation minded treatment specialist. you can clearly see the common hornets nest is "A" typical, unlike the Asian one. Wait for him to treat this second nest, see the reaction from the Asian hornets. You can imagine why people die just wearing a beekeepers suit!! Like he says, without his suit he would be dead, or very close to it.

 

[Karol]

Why is the survival rate so low, is it because they have to over winter?

In one word - yes! But that hides a multitude of overwhelming hazards. Arachnids are tge greatest threat because they tend to occupy the same 'space' that queens overwinter in. As Richard says, rodents take a lot as well. Pigeons interestingly are quite expert at taking wasps on the wing and are a big threat in Spring. Starvation is a major factor during mild winters and that is probably the biggest obstacle facing velutina in the UK.

It's interesting Richard that you say the nests are smaller in Brittany and that may be an adaptation which might support velutina in the UK in which case it won't be any greater threat than crabro. As I've said before, there's a very good reason why crabro nests don't get much bigger than 300-400 adults.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

I see it works so quickly you have to have your bee suit on while you're making it.

Ooh, you are awful! Looks like they were in a very fancy association apiary and after the Julia Bradbury incident on Countryfile, the BBC won't let any reporters get within 50 yards of a hive without full PPE. Hence the full gear for the reporter and bee suit but no veil for the beek.

CVB

 

[Pete D]

How about something from the SBIs on this forum?

What is it you want to know

 

[Hivemaker.]

What is it you want to know

Answers to the below would be a good start.....

She wasn't having anything from me about collateral damage. The suggestion that we get trapping once we know there is a problem was met by, "there are already here and we should expect queens to have survived"
I asked her what the evidence was on the nest that was destroyed and she would not be drawn on whether there were any queens produced

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=563362&postcount=443

There needs to be a FOI request lodged if they won't release full details of the nest analysis - better from a representative body...........

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=563373&postcount=448

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Dusty's bit on the BBC clip you linked to was very informative for the general public.

CVB

Oh, you smoothie!

Just doing my little bit for the cause.

Dusty