Results of Muzzle Test
- by Thirteen Bees
- •
- 09 Aug, 2018
- •
Update on Asian Hornet control
A few weeks ago we fitted two of our hives with custom-made 'muzzles' to provide our bees with a safe 'hornet no-fly' deceleration area. The thinking behind the muzzles is that the hornets won't enter the zone inside the mesh as they don't like to feel trapped, and this gives the bees a safe space in which to decelerate as they approach the hive.
The bees didn't particularly like the muzzle and instead of flying through the mesh they either hesitated in front of it, like a nervous hurdler, or flew underneath it. Either way meant they decelerated before getting to the muzzle thereby negating any benefit it offered as the hornets were just grabbing the bees outside the muzzle.
We then noticed that the hornets were adapting quickly to this new obstacle and started to hover beneath the muzzle, just where the bees were flying. The bees were also gathering on the wire, easy pickings for the hornets. The only advantage to all of this was that the hornets were much easier to whack with a badminton racket as they were confined to being in one small place.
Given that the muzzle seemed to be hindering the bees and making bee-catching easier for the hornets, we have now removed them from the two hives, and are relying on our racket skills and several traps baited with sugar water and beer. The hornets are still lured by the traps, but are learning to avoid anything large that swishes a racket around - they definitely fly away when we approach. This makes me think that some kind of automated whirling scarecrow might be the next experiment....watch this space!
The bees didn't particularly like the muzzle and instead of flying through the mesh they either hesitated in front of it, like a nervous hurdler, or flew underneath it. Either way meant they decelerated before getting to the muzzle thereby negating any benefit it offered as the hornets were just grabbing the bees outside the muzzle.
We then noticed that the hornets were adapting quickly to this new obstacle and started to hover beneath the muzzle, just where the bees were flying. The bees were also gathering on the wire, easy pickings for the hornets. The only advantage to all of this was that the hornets were much easier to whack with a badminton racket as they were confined to being in one small place.
Given that the muzzle seemed to be hindering the bees and making bee-catching easier for the hornets, we have now removed them from the two hives, and are relying on our racket skills and several traps baited with sugar water and beer. The hornets are still lured by the traps, but are learning to avoid anything large that swishes a racket around - they definitely fly away when we approach. This makes me think that some kind of automated whirling scarecrow might be the next experiment....watch this space!
Evidence of wax cappings underneath the hive show that the bees are accessing the honey stores - and so they're alive!
A summary of what we have tried this year to combat the threat of Asian hornets to our bees
Making quilt boxes for bee hives in an attempt to absorb excess moisture over the winter
How we cut out a nest of bees from a window sill and moved them to their new home at 13 Bees
The Hozelock campaign to encourage people to plant flowers for pollinating insects, and enter a prize draw where the main prize is a holiday at 13 Bees
