Help tackle the invasive Asian hornet before our bees are lost

[Conor O'Gorman]

Detailed advice in the following BASC article:

https://basc.org.uk/stop-invasive-asian-hornet/
 

[Stonepark]

I read the article and I'm just not sure...

 

are you advocating 28g of No 9 or will 21g of No10 get the job done?

[zipdog]

Complete waste of time. The Asian Hornet is without doubt a big threat to our honey bees, and it's concerning. 

But the idea an insect can be stopped by reporting a few sightings is complete waste of time.

Have we learnt nothing from Covid and the Lockdowns. Grey squirrels are easier to control than insects we couldn’t even stop them.

 

 

[Gordon R]

Once a sighting is reported, is there any assurance that someone will turn up and exterminate them? If not, what is the point of reporting?

[situndertree]

Far to cruel to exterminate them.

The hornets will be given counselling instead..

[Windswept]

As a bee keeper I would urge people to report sightings of asian hornets to the BBKA - https://www.bbka.org.uk/listing/category/asian-hornet-vespa-velutina or your local bee keeping group which can be found here - https://www.bbka.org.uk/find-beekeeping-near-you

They have been very good at responding to reports and removing nests so far as it is in their interest. I expect there will come a point where the asian hornets are established but delaying this point will help people adjust to living with then so reporting is worth while.

I would also add the asian hornets are more aggressive than our natives, so reporting and getting someone to remove their nest could well be of benefit to you.

[Windswept]

11 hours ago, Conor O'Gorman said:

Detailed advice in the following BASC article:

https://basc.org.uk/stop-invasive-asian-hornet/
 

On a technical note, the BBKA is not the same as the NBU, the BBKA is a bee keeping charity and the NBU is a government organisation.

[chrisjpainter]

@WindsweptAbsolutely.

This so needs to be done. The more vigilant - and educated - people are, the better the chances of at least limiting the damage each year. To just wash hands and accept the fate is pretty pathetic. 

One thing that should be pointed out - although the average understanding is better on PW than in the wider population - is that there is media confusion (shocker!) over this. Vespa velutina, the Asian Hornet, is different to Vespa mandarinia, the Asian Giant Hornet. V.velutina is smaller than our European Hornet, Vespa crabro, so if you see a whacking great hornet, it's going to be V.crabro and fine. V.mandarinia is far bigger than both and is called the Murder Hornet in the US, where it's invasive. Some media outlets have mixed them up on occasion and googling 'Asian Hornet invasive' will bring up both, but the Asian Giant Hornet's never been seen in the UK.

Here's what you're looking for:

And here's what you're not looking for:

Asian Giant Hornet, Vespa mandarinia

[Conor O'Gorman]

2 hours ago, Windswept said:

On a technical note, the BBKA is not the same as the NBU, the BBKA is a bee keeping charity and the NBU is a government organisation.

Thanks, I will pass that back to Marta.