Asian hornets nest

[fluffy tree]

We have a massive nest high up in the roof of our hangar, which has grown to around 2 feet in diameter over the summer. The hornets have now sealed all of the holes on the nest leaving just one, and although there is less activity now, there are still plenty of hornets coming to and leaving the nest through the remaining hole.

Is my understanding correct that they will all die in the winter - and if so, how will we know when it is safe for us to remove the old nest?

[andyh4]

In most areas you are required to report the nest asap and arrange destruction.

Because you have failed to do this the nest will already have produced new queens that will have left and will now be ready to produce an extra 5-10 new nests next year.

Because of the very negative impact of asian hornets on the bee population and because they are not a natural species, they are a complete menace - as are people who do not report and arrange destruction.

[:@]

And yes your understanding is right and the simple test - if you still insist on doing it yourself my advice is to wait until there are no more hornets around.

 

 

[Catalpa]

Have you definitely identified them as Asian hornets? Do you have any photos?

[sid]

[quote user="andyh4"]

In most areas you are required to report the nest asap and arrange destruction.

Because you have failed to do this the nest will already have produced new queens that will have left and will now be ready to produce an extra 5-10 new nests next year.

Because of the very negative impact of asian hornets on the bee population and because they are not a natural species, they are a complete menace - as are people who do not report and arrange destruction.

[:@]

And yes your understanding is right and the simple test - if you still insist on doing it yourself my advice is to wait until there are no more hornets around.

[/quote]

Whoa! That's a bit strong Andy. It's the hornets which are the menace. Not every nest is conveniently sited on property where it can be seen easily. There must be hundreds (or thousands?) which go unnoticed and therefore unreported. Many individuals, me included, just destroy them; we've had two so far in the roofspace of the house. I'm going to report them... why? No, I don't think so.

[fluffy tree]

Thanks for your response Andy - seems you think I am a menace - cheers!

The nest was already in the hangar roof when we moved to France in June this year, but it was no threat to us, and as we were unaware that there were different species of hornet here we had no reason to be concerned. However, I discovered what we actually had when I was browsing through postings, and photo's, on the forum - so obviously we want rid of them now.

As we now know the threat posed by these hornets ( and had already found out before being accused of being a menace to the french bee population!) , we will be looking out for any new nests next year so they can be destroyed.

I was simply looking for some thoughts on whether it was feasable for us to remove the old nest once the current residents had shuffled off their mortal coils!.

[sid]

You can do it yourself, although the warning notices issued by various Prefectures that I've read to date advise you to get a competent company to do it. The fee for the removal will be your responsibility in most cases, but I read today that Charente-Maritime will pay the standard fee of either 135€ or 200€ depending on which treatment was necessary.

In our cases (we've had TWO) I bought a nest destroyer aerosol from Mr Bricolage and did it myself. The spray is in a large canister about 30cms high and throw a jet for a distance of up to 6 metres; very powerful! It all depends how accessible the nest is, that is, whether you can get close enough to spray without risking an attack. Ours were in the loft space, so I donned a boiler suit, hood, goggles, gloves, wellies etc to ensure there was no bare skin visible, lifted open the loft trap, poked my head up and sprayed the nest which was about 4 metres away. The hornets get very agitated, but by the time they realised what was happening I had already descended and slammed the trap. The instructions say you should wait 15 minutes, but to be safe I waited 24 hours!! The hornets were all dead and it was then a matter of using a spade to detach the nest from the roof rafters, a very messy (and smelly) job, and I used a vacuum cleaner to hoover up all the dead insects around the area. I bagged the whole mess and made a bonfire.

If your nest is empty it should be a lot easier; you can see whether the hornets are still coming and going.

[IMG]http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt200/nevjames/hornetnest1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt200/nevjames/hornetnest2.jpg[/IMG]

 

 

[andyh4]

[quote user="sid"][quote user="andyh4"]

In most areas you are required to report the nest asap and arrange destruction.

Because you have failed to do this the nest will already have produced new queens that will have left and will now be ready to produce an extra 5-10 new nests next year.

Because of the very negative impact of asian hornets on the bee population and because they are not a natural species, they are a complete menace - as are people who do not report and arrange destruction.

[:@]

And yes your understanding is right and the simple test - if you still insist on doing it yourself my advice is to wait until there are no more hornets around.

[/quote]

Whoa! That's a bit strong Andy. It's the hornets which are the menace. Not every nest is conveniently sited on property where it can be seen easily. There must be hundreds (or thousands?) which go unnoticed and therefore unreported. Many individuals, me included, just destroy them; we've had two so far in the roofspace of the house. I'm going to report them... why? No, I don't think so.

[/quote]

 

Perhaps a bit strong, but if you read the OP I think all the clues are there that the nest was known about since the summer and nothing was done - perhaps through ignorance, perhaps in the thought that they could sort it out later themselves.  Later as I explained rather tersely translates as too late.

 

As for reporting:  This is important in order to identify the spread and density of Asian Hornets.  But I agree that destrying the nest and its occupants is more important.

[Jay]

[quote user="andyh4"]

In most areas you are required to report the nest asap and arrange destruction.

Because you have failed to do this the nest will already have produced new queens that will have left and will now be ready to produce an extra 5-10 new nests next year.

Because of the very negative impact of asian hornets on the bee population and because they are not a natural species, they are a complete menace - as are people who do not report and arrange destruction.

[/quote]

If it wasn't so bl**dy expensive I am sure people would report and arrange destruction.

You say in "most areas" you are "required" - so are you sure the OP is in an area where you are required to report? Where is your link to the legislation that "requires" one to report the nest asap?

[fluffy tree]

wow - you know how to make friends and influence people Andy!!!

Seems I am now ignorant.... and maybe suffer from laissez faire too....

It would have been lovely to move to a new country knowing everything about everything, but sadly I didn't. I know a hornet when I see one, but failed to check their passports to see where they'd come from originally - or ask what they'd prefer to eat for tea.

As I said, thanks to previous postings which included Sid's very lovely photo's, I discovered what nasty habits these hornets have when it comes to honeybees, and will make sure any nests next year are destroyed.

I consider myself well told off - wow, gonna love it here..... anyone have any issues if I decide not to kill the squirrels, rabbits, hares, red deer and birds in my garden?

[andyh4]

[quote user="Jay"]Where is your link to the legislation that "requires" one to report the nest asap?

[/quote]

 

There is no national legistlation therefore no link and therefore I wrote "most regions require"and not "it is the law that".

I am not allowed to post links to other forums where a number of persons confirm having reported the presence of Frelon asatique have had confirmation from their maire that this is required locally. 

From a personal perspective I can only say that when the first FA was reported in the Ardèche the radio was full of "you have to report every sighting".

Several deputies have tried to get them described as a reportable nuisance but French Bureaucracy has to run its track.

 

Meanwhile as our OP has found, they will continue to destroy bee hives.

 

This is of course a pity if you like honey, but bees are estimated to be responsible for 40% of all plant pollination.  So look forward to more expensive food as they expand and we wait for national legislation.

 

As far as our commune is concerned they have the ability to wipe out the entire economy (soft fruit and stone fruit plus chestnuts) which is why I am so passionate (perhaps too passionate at times - and my apologies to the OP)

 

[Catalpa]

[quote user="andyh4"]I am not allowed to post links to other forums where a number of persons confirm having reported the presence of Frelon asatique have had confirmation from their maire that this is required locally. [/quote]

I think you can, Andy - this forum has always been happy to acknowledge the existence of other fora and links to many of them have been provided in the past.

[Gyn_Paul]

When the smoke clears, would somebody like to tell me how I can tell the difference between a native hornet and its Asiatic cousin?

A picture or two would be nice.

We had hornets living in the barn wall couple of years ago. Fortunately they were exiting and entering by just one hole so one calm evening when I estimated that all gone to bed I did for them with the aforementioned aerosol. My God they're powerful, the jet propulsion effect nearly blew me off the ladder!

That was the last we saw of the hornets but this year we are inundated with wasps. Most mornings there are 10 to 20 corpses to brush up in the living room. Since the middle of September, I must have disposed of several thousand corpses.

And good riddance too, three things that if they didn't exist, we wouldn't need to invent them:  wasps, hornets, and nettles!

p

[Jay]

As far as I know the Asian hornet builds a nest like the one Sid posted and looks like THIS the difference is in size and colour (red/orange) to the usual hornet/frelon like THIS which I believe builds its nest in walls/enclosed spaces. We had one of the latter in our wall a couple of years ago and they eat/worked their way indoors. I am no expert, no doubt if I am wrong someone will be sure to correct.

[fluffy tree]

Very important to know the difference Glyn Paul as I have now discovered!!

Can I add another to your list..... slugs - yuk!

:-)

[Jo]

I was bothered by Wasps/Hornets over this summer, and I was told they were the Asian ones, however having read this post I think I have been misled, there is no visible nest, they only fly at night if there is an outside light source, never during the day despite being near a peach tree with ripe fruit which they don't bother! They look more like the typical yellow/ black striped wasp/hornet not the yellow footed Asiatic ones, they hang around an ash tree in the garden but as I say I've never seen a nest. I took a dead one into the pharmacie, she said it was an Asian one, but when I told the Pompiers they weren't bothered at all. So what HAVE I got?????[8-)]

[Tancrède]

[quote user="Jo"]what HAVE I got ?[/quote]

Nothing at the moment.  Wasps and hornets to not overwinter as colonies (as honeybees do).  

If all is well, then a few dozen fertilized queens will be holed up in a variety of secret and convenient crevices and until they have the opportunity  -  if successful  -  to found a number of new colonies next year.

[quote user="Jo"]when I told the Pompiers

they weren't bothered at all. [/quote]

I cannot imagine what action they could take on the basis of an anecdote concerning a deceased hornet.  In order to take action they would, at the very least, need to know where the nest was situated.

[quote user="Jo"]I've never seen a nest.[/quote]

There will certainly be a nest.  In order to discover its location :  catch one of the insects and dredge her in flour.  Release her and follow her assiduously.  The flour naturally renders her more visible.  Unless she has other business to do she will lead you back to the nest. 

I have only used this method with feral and domestic bees, but my father assured me that it works equally for wasps and hornets (for whom he used, in his childhood, to receive a bounty of 6d per colony from the local toffee factory).

I do very much hope that you will find a hornets' nest.  I had them for several years in my orchard, and found them a never-ending source of instruction, entertainment and interest.

    

[Gyn_Paul]

[quote user="Gengulphus"][quote user="Jo"]what HAVE I got ?[/quote]

Nothing at the moment.  Wasps and hornets to not overwinter as colonies (as honeybees do).  

If all is well, then a few dozen fertilized queens will be holed up in a variety of secret and convenient crevices and until they have the opportunity  -  if successful  -  to found a number of new colonies next year.

[quote user="Jo"]when I told the Pompiers

they weren't bothered at all. [/quote]

I cannot imagine what action they could take on the basis of an anecdote concerning a deceased hornet.  In order to take action they would, at the very least, need to know where the nest was situated.

[quote user="Jo"]I've never seen a nest.[/quote]

There will certainly be a nest.  In order to discover its location :  catch one of the insects and dredge her in flour.  Release her and follow her assiduously.  The flour naturally renders her more visible.  Unless she has other business to do she will lead you back to the nest. 

I have only used this method with feral and domestic bees, but my father assured me that it works equally for wasps and hornets (for whom he used, in his childhood, to receive a bounty of 6d per colony from the local toffee factory).

I do very much hope that you will find a hornets' nest.  I had them for several years in my orchard, and found them a never-ending source of instruction, entertainment and interest.

    

[/quote]

I suspect your definition of what constitutes all being well is a little different to many if not most people on this forum, my personal definition would run more along the lines of hoping that every last fertilized queen is comprehensively frozen to death in the first frost !

p

[Jo]

I'm afraid to say I'm with Gln_Paul on this one[blink] not being able to sit out in the evenings in the summer, and this year well into the autumn, was a real shame. Constantly having to watch the animals, (having seen a duck running around in a panic with this huge hornet on her back, I knocked it off with a broom!) Is not my idea of entertainment[:(] They hang around a large ash tree, so I'm assuming the nest is there but it is certainly not visible even now with no leaves on the tree. I am certainly not going to climb a tree buzzing with hornets to follow one dredged in flour, assuming I could get up the tree in the first place. Last tree climbing experience was about 1965[:-))]

[Wilko]

Hi Gyn Paul

You said "Most mornings there are 10 to 20 corpses to brush up in the living room"

We have similar, have had for a couple of years. Are you sure they are wasps? They listless, can barely fly and although the majority seem to come from the chimney they appear in random places on the ground floor. They are not in the least bit aggressive. I have searched for a nest but can't find one. They are not a big problem but I just wonder if they are damaging the fabric of the house. I have asked the local old boys but they have no idea as to what they are. Has anyone else experienced these ?

W

[Keni]

Just to say, if you know of any local beekeepers, they will have a bee-suit that might offer some protection, but we just bought some agrinet from the local agri-cooperative, about 11 to 15 euros, and that did the trick - as mentioned before.

As beekeepers ourselves we have seen just what these little sods do to our hives and having had a nest, the spray worked fine. We are meant to notify the Mairie if we see any Asian Hornet nests. They are meant to destroy them without charge to you! But by the time they get around to it, just do it yourself, it's quicker.

We have just noticed a huge nest, now the leaves have dropped, about 2 feet in length, on the road to St Mathieu from Marval, at the crossroads in Fonsoumagne, will notify Marie in St Mat asap.