Asian hornet - be aware and stay safe

[Old Farm]

Asian Hornets are starting to come out of hibernation, primary nest building will start around the end of March and the move to secondary nests in late June.  The NNSS has produced some leaflets but try as I might, I can't load them on here,  so I've loaded up something I have put together.  Please take a minute to see what an Asian hornet looks like and put the Asian Hornet App on your phone.  

 

These hornets are very defensive of the nest, if you disturb a nest the best thing to do is retreat as quickly and safely as you can.  Happy to answer questions where I can.  Please stay safe.

[5thelement]

16 minutes ago, Old Farm said:

Asian Hornets are starting to come out of hibernation, primary nest building will start around the end of March and the move to secondary nests in late June.  The NNSS has produced some leaflets but try as I might, I can't load them on here,  so I've loaded up something I have put together.  Please take a minute to see what an Asian hornet looks like and put the Asian Hornet App on your phone.  

 

These hornets are very defensive of the nest, if you disturb a nest the best thing to do is retreat as quickly and safely as you can.  Happy to answer questions where I can.  Please stay safe.

Do they currently sell pheromone traps for the Queens in the UK?

They can be bought in any garden centre/B&Q type shop here, lots of people installing them whether they keep bees or not. 
 

[Paul in the woods]

You can buy the traps from the various bee supply companies, such as Thornes.

 

There's some useful info about the hornets here: https://www.bbka.org.uk/pages/category/asian-hornet-resources

 

 

I know it's a serious topic but I did notice this and thought it was amusing:

 

Asian Hornet Costume | British Beekeepers Association

WWW.BBKA.ORG.UK

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The BBKA have commissioned an Asian Hornet costume which is currently in the process of being made. Create attention at shows and other events to raise awareness about Asian...

 

Edited February 23 by Paul in the woods

[Bolt]

 

 

Good to see that each hornet has been individually named.

 

 

 

[Mick Dempsey]

Serious stuff, not always easy to spot the nests.

 

On a few occasions I’ve been up a tree and spotted an active nest necessitating a careful retreat.

 

Maybe take time to have a look around the tree before getting up in the summer.

[Botty Cough]

Just take a stick in your harness when climbing and use a petrol saw with extra 2 stroke oil added to the mix....

 

Poke em with a stick then smoke em out....

[Mick Dempsey]

[Old Farm]

5 hours ago, 5thelement said:

Do they currently sell pheromone traps for the Queens in the UK?

They can be bought in any garden centre/B&Q type shop here, lots of people installing them whether they keep bees or not. 
 

There are no pheromone traps at the moment, I believe some people are working on it.  The easiest thing to do is set up a wick bait station, it's just a jar with a hole in the lid, a wick and an attractant like Trappit in the jar.  If there are Asian Hornets in the area they will find it within 30 minutes - so you could set a monitor when you visit a site to quote for a job, or when setting up before starting work.  They typically feed within 1km of the nest.  When feeding they are docile and not a problem, but disturbing the nest is different ball game and they will be very aggressive.  Noise or vibration within 10m of the nest will set them off, and they will only back off when you are 30m+ away from the nest.

[Old Farm]

5 hours ago, Paul in the woods said:

You can buy the traps from the various bee supply companies, such as Thornes.

 

There's some useful info about the hornets here: https://www.bbka.org.uk/pages/category/asian-hornet-resources

 

 

I know it's a serious topic but I did notice this and thought it was amusing:

 

Asian Hornet Costume | British Beekeepers Association

WWW.BBKA.ORG.UK

---

The BBKA have commissioned an Asian Hornet costume which is currently in the process of being made. Create attention at shows and other events to raise awareness about Asian...

 

 

5 hours ago, Bolt said:

 

 

Good to see that each hornet has been individually named.

 

 

 

Getting permission to use photographs for free can be hard work, just trying to say thanks to the people who provided them.

 

[Old Farm]

5 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Serious stuff, not always easy to spot the nests.

 

On a few occasions I’ve been up a tree and spotted an active nest necessitating a careful retreat.

 

Maybe take time to have a look around the tree before getting up in the summer.

Nests are hard to spot, even when you are very close to them.  If you set up a monitor they will generally find it within 30 minutes, so no Asian Hornets at a monitor can be reassuring.