This is a UK wide event to monitor for Asian Hornets. September is the prime time for worker Asian Hornets to be predating on honeybee colonies and hives as well as other native pollinating insects.
The hornets are looking for a protein rich meal to feed their larvae and bee wing muscles provide this in abundance so look out for hornets hawking near hive entrances.
To monitor for such incursions set your bait station near your hives approximately 1 to 2 metres above the ground. You can use the wick and saucer methods if you stay to observe for a reasonable length of time. Otherwise use the NBU “green bottle” trap (see BBKA or AHAT sites for details on how to make). Please remember to look at and empty the traps ideally daily or every two days at least to be able to release any native insects that may have inadvertently become ensnared – reduction of ‘by-catch’ is a must in the fight to avert insect decline as well as being ethically just.
The attractant
If you wish to use the recommended home brew recipes from the Spring monitoring then these should be able to do the job but Suterra is much better.
To obtain a Suterra sample
Wednesday 2 September 2020 I will be at Uplowman Village Hall car park,
- session A 10:00 until 12:00 midday;
- session B 17:00 to 19:00.
Procedure
- Book a session by emailing me (ahat@tivertonbeekeepers.uk) with your name, address including post code, telephone number and which session you wish to attend – Covid-19 contact and trace compliant. No booking, no Suterra.
Please provide your own watertight container for the 50ml sample. - On arrival – Please wear mask and gloves and maintain 2m+ social distancing. I will wear mask and gloves also. Place your opened container on the ground and retreat 2 m +. At this point I will approach your container and decant the sample into your container and then move away. You will then be able to retrieve your container with sample. You will also receive an A5 poster for local display and an ID card.
Insect verification
To obtain a clear photograph it may be easier to kill the suspect insect. Remember it is an offence to trap and then release an invasive species. Therefore, to humanely kill the insect wrap your trap in a tightly sealed plastic bag and place in a freezer for 24 hours – the bag will contain any leakage of Suterra onto foodstuffs already in the freezer.
Please email a clear close up image of the suspect insect to me. I will ID the insect (sending the image to the team verifiers if in doubt) and promptly email you back with the result. We will advise and guide you through the procedures should it be a positive Asian Hornet sighting.
Gavin Nuttall-Owen
AHAT Coordinator
ahat@tivertonbeekeepers.uk