Asian Hornet update

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jenkinsbrynmair

International Beekeeper of Mystery
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Too many - but not nearly enough
May as well start a new thread on this subject seeing the other one originated with a specific sighting, and anyway was hijacked by the usual crowd.

Asian hornet nest has been found and destroyed in Thorns beach near Beaulieu (the Lymington sighting)

The single Asian hornet in Guildford was found at a Mini dealership workshop, may have come on a newly delivered mini from Cowley (so anywhere en route really) no further developments.
 
Asian Hornet - Latest from the National Bee Unit (NBU):

A report of an Asian hornet sighting was made on the 22/09/18 by a member of the public in New Alresford, Hampshire and was found the following day by the National Bee Unit. The nest has been destroyed and sent for laboratory examination.

The NBU are also investigating a report of a single hornet on the south coast of Hampshire.

The NBU is continuing surveillance for further nests and beekeepers across the UK are urged to remain vigilant and to report any sightings either via the Asian hornet Watch App for android, the Asian hornet Watch App. for Iphone, email or the online recording form.

Surveillance is ongoing in Fowey, Cornwall. No hornets have been seen at this location since the two nests were destroyed earlier this month.

Local surveillance is continuing in Hull, East Yorkshire, where a single dead hornet was found in a house.

Now one in Guildford....

I think we will be seeing more of these little chaps next year... remembering how the Tree Bumbles got a foot hold.

Mytten da
 
I think we will be seeing more of these little chaps next year...

Indeed, the NBU will need to employ an extra few hundred or thousand to keep up with the extermination program.
 
That's a really old press release - Two Hampshire ones - Arlesford and Beulieu, both nests found and destroyed - NBU now scaling down operations in Fowey (primary and secondary nests destroyed), pulling out of Liskeard, finished with Hull.
The Guildford one is interesting - could have come from anywhere - in a delivered vehicle from Cowley or anywhere en route, or dead in a container of parts from anywhere in the world, who knows?
 
The NBU
I’m on Beebase.
Sometimes I get their emails but not always.
There’s always Dad’s Army I guess ;)

The latest one from the NBU was posted by cheers in post 2, which JB said was really old, so interested in where the really new info comes from, so people are not posting really old out of date stuff from the NBU.
 
http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/public/News/news.cfm

Or Defra
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/asian-hornet-uk-sightings-in-2018

To date, there have been nine confirmed sightings of the Asian hornet in England and five nests have been destroyed.

Seven of these sightings occurred in 2018; an individual hornet in Lancashire (April) and Hull , three in Cornwall and two in Hampshire (all September).

(and a useful summary at the bottom)
Recent confirmed sightings and announcements
Brokenhurst, Hampshire – confirmed 26 September 2018
New Alresford, Hampshire – confirmed 24 September 2018
Fowey, Cornwall – confirmed 20 September 2018
Hull, Yorkshire – confirmed 9 September 2018
Liskeard, Cornwall – confirmed 7 September 2018
Fowey, Cornwall – confirmed 3 September 2018
Bury, Lancashire – confirmed 13 April 2018
 
That's a really old press release - Two Hampshire ones - Arlesford and Beulieu, both nests found and destroyed - NBU now scaling down operations in Fowey (primary and secondary nests destroyed), pulling out of Liskeard, finished with Hull.
The Guildford one is interesting - could have come from anywhere - in a delivered vehicle from Cowley or anywhere en route, or dead in a container of parts from anywhere in the world, who knows?

Indeed JBM. If however the mini was a 'Countryman' these are made in Belgium. It could be a continental VV that hitched a lift across the English Channel and then has been distributed from Cowley.
I am keen to look on the bright side as Cowley is only a few miles from me as the hornet flies!!
 
IF it came in on a mini - it could have come in on a consignment of parts from wherever, maybe it came in on a consignment to one of the other units on the industrial estate. On the bright side, it was found dead, hopefully it arrived dead and had been dead for some time.
 
What Bait ?

I have been putting out VV traps since April.
Is it now time to change to a sweet bait ?
 
What Bait ?

I have been putting out VV traps since April.
Is it now time to change to a sweet bait ?

I may be very wrong and this may well have been explained by several on my ignore list but I understand they need a sweet source to get going each day and then turn to protein
S
 
Only when there isn't enough carbs being generated from within the nest by the brood which is usually a sign of insufficient insect prey to sustain the nest. Bare in mind that once the brood has gone the hornets will turn exclusively to sweet feeding.
 
Update

The thornes beach hornet (Lymington) was another non beekeeper report - seen feeding on windfall apples in the garden, nest found about 400 metres away, high up in a tree.
 

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