Just Chris Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 It's that time of year when the green vine thingy covering our house starts dropping all its seeds, and the whole lot is covered in bees - so much so, that the house positively hums!I've noticed, this year, that there are a considerable number of hornets around (last year I hardly saw any), and they too are hanging around the vine in gangs. Every now and then there's a bit of a tussle, and a hornet dives in and snatches a bee and carries it off (presumably to the nest for food). Spooky, never seen that before - has anyone else?Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 Are you sure it wasn't this fellow doing the killing? This one is killing a bee.[IMG]http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q73/unautremonde/Oddments/philanthustriangulum.jpg[/IMG]Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Chris Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 No, Chris - definitely frelons - they fascinate me. It almost looked co-ordinated, they cruised up and down the side of the house, sometimes singly, sometimes in pairs (or more). They'd dive into the vine, there was a bit of a commotion, and one would drone out clutching a bee - obviously heavily overloaded! I tried to photograph the events, but the hornets were a bit quick for me, even carrying a bee! I'll have another go today, if they're about...Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Wow... I never knew that... what is it and why are they killers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plod Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 I watched a programme a while ago about some Buddhist monks who kept bees. The bees were often attacked and killed by hornets but, of course, the monks could not intervene. There was an impressive image of one of the monks handling a hornet, and they made the ones around here look like plain ordinary wasps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
water rat Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 if that was a buddist monk it was an asian hornet( vespa velutina) and the danger these hornets bring cannot be underestimated.I have just acquired a hive after attending Bee club for 2 years and are being bombarded with info about it. It's been accidently imported here in furniture and is now making it's way across france.It's v aggressive and can wipe out a hive in a couple of hours and is also dangerous to humans. The asian bees have found a way of attacking it by "cooking " the scout which is sent out on a sorti so never returns to inform the others . European bees havn't learnt this yet The site for more info is www.velutina.terralias.comWater Ratlink repaired by a mod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plod Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 That sounds very much like it, and on the film they were savage in their attacks and destroyed an entire hive. Not a pleasant thought that they may be in France! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 As far as I know, certainly up until very recently there were no Asian Hornets in Correze and they are no more harmful to humans than the European hornet, so about the same as a common wasp.Asian hornets certainly do attack honey bees but mainly at the hive. European hornets will occasionally take honey bees but it's not a common place occurance, more will be taken by spiders.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
water rat Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 We were informed at the club that they had reached La Souterraine.W Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 It's not impossible but that would have been recently. Thanks.What does need making clear is that if anyone identifies this species, either single hornets or a nest they should notify the authorities without delay. They really do need to be destroyed ASAP.BTW. your link doesn't work for me.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
water rat Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Sorry about the link,but it seems to work if it's googled.You're right about informing the authorities and the pompiers were at the lecture I attended in Chateauroux (36) They were worried because they had no experience of dealing with them and also where was the finance coming from?BTW the lecture lasted all day! I needed matchsticks to keep my eyes open.The hornets make enormous nests which hang from branches and the locals, apparently, deal with them by taking aim with a gun!As you can imagine this was not advised by the experts.One can make a trap near the hive which will stop the scout,but the sizes of the openings are so crucial, I would find it difficult.As yet no company is making traps commercialy.W Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Link repaired in the original post and added here for info: http://velutina.terralias.com/pages/frelon_asiatique.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
water rat Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Thanks ClairW Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runningdog Posted August 10, 2008 Share Posted August 10, 2008 When I lived in the New Forest I had a cotoneaster 'tree', it was about 20 feet tall, and during the summer it was alive with bees. Hornets would regularly come and take the bees, it was a daily occurence. But, I have to say, this is the only time that I have ever witnessed or heard of this happening until now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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