What did you do in your Apiary/Bee yard today?

[.30WCF]

We always called them Japanese Hornets growing up. They are about 1.5-1.75? long. Some kind of Asian hornet.


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[Terri Yaki]

Oh, nice, very nice. 

[The15thMember]

We always called them Japanese Hornets growing up. They are about 1.5-1.75? long. Some kind of Asian hornet.

They aren't Asian hornets or Japanese Giant hornets, they are European hornets.  They've been in the US since the mid-1800s.  They aren't too much trouble.  They will just fly up, snag a bee or two and fly off. 

[.30WCF]

My bad. I know they?ve been around and arnt the new and improved murder hornets.


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[The15thMember]

There was a single report of Asian hornets in like South Carolina last year or something, but the nest was destroyed and nothing has come of it since.  The Japanese Giant hornets, aka Murder Hornets, were sighted in Pacific Northwest a few years ago, and I haven't heard much on that since either.  The yellow jackets, at least in my area, are really little by this time of year, around the size of my workers or even smaller.  I haven't seen any Euro hornets this year, at least yet, although the bald-faced hornets have been around.   

[beesnweeds]

There was a single report of Asian hornets in like South Carolina last year or something, but the nest was destroyed and nothing has come of it since.

You can scroll down to newsletter #14 to get the latest info. 
https://agr.georgia.gov/yellow-legged-hornet

[.30WCF]

It?s odd that now there are Japanese hornets, and I was taught as a kid to call these, Japanese hornets. Even if in error, it?s amusing that even before they were actually here, we were calling them Japanese hornets in my area.


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[The15thMember]

You can scroll down to newsletter #14 to get the latest info. 
https://agr.georgia.gov/yellow-legged-hornet

Ah, so there have been more sightings, but without a sensational name like "murder hornet", I guess there isn't much media coverage. 

[BeeMaster2]

If I saw them buzzing my hives, I would take my Bug a salt out there and eliminate them. The salt tears there wings up and will also put salt in their body which also kills them.
Jim Altmiller

[beesnweeds]

I'm thinking the beekeepers in France wish it was that easy

[Michael Bush]

I've really been enjoying my A Salt Rifle.

[BeeMaster2]

Michael,
I'm on my second one. I wore the first one out. The biggest problem that I now have is that I no longer have a "Target Rich Environment". Most of the time I only have a fly or two to shoot. When I first got one there were hundreds of targets. When we first built the carport, there were lots of horse and yellow flies. now it is rare to see one out there.
Jim Altmiller

[Michael Bush]

My wife just asked me where my assault rifle is.  I told her I don't have an assault rifle.  She said, sure you do and you need to shoot these flies.  OH!!!! A Salt Rifle.  The target rich environment doesn't last but it's fun while it lasts.

[Salvo]

Bug A Salt demo:

https://youtu.be/My2n7bgRbAo

Sal

[BeeMaster2]

In the video, take note. The night before he and his son shot up about a hundred flies. While shooting the video the next day he only had 2 flies to shoot. A week later he might have a handful. Even around trash cans.
I?m lucky if I can find five flies around the trash can.
While my cows are eating out of the trough I shoot hundreds off of their backs, especially my bull. He totally ignores the shots, where as my cows will temporarily back off after being shot.
Jim Altmiller

[Terri Yaki]

Yesterday, I gave my swarm hive a full inspection, videos below. For some reason the camera shut down early on but there was nothing of value there so I went right to Part II. I performed a mite wash and only got one mite so I'm thrilled about that. This colony looks to me like it's doing well. They are bringing pollen in all day long and everything looks healthy to me except I wish they'd do a better job building their comb. I still have 2:1 syrup on and wonder if I should cease that or not. Let me know. Thanks.

https://rumble.com/v5dqk0t-september-4-2024-swarm-hive-inspection-part-ii.html

https://rumble.com/v5dqowl-september-4-2024-swarm-hive-inspection-part-iii.html

[Terri Yaki]

And today, I went through my other two hives. To me, their numbers look low but then I don't really know. Both queens are spreading their brood across all of the frames in what doesn't look like a good pattern to me but they are laying. I didn't see signs of bad looking larvae like I did last week. I couldn't find my red marked queen but I did see the green marked one. That red marked one has a reputation for hiding somehow so it's not a big surprise. My area bee inspector called today and we have an appointment for an inspection next Wednesday. Once I'm inspected, I can even sell bees through next year. Not that I'd be looking to sell any but if I have to combine two, I may be able to give someone a queen who needs one, this late in the year. At this point, my hopes are to save one hive out of these two and my swarm hive looks on track to survive the winter.

[The15thMember]

They are bringing pollen in all day long and everything looks healthy to me except I wish they'd do a better job building their comb. I still have 2:1 syrup on and wonder if I should cease that or not. Let me know. Thanks.

I'd keep it on them, just go ahead and pack them full.  Do not expect them to draw at the rate they were in the spring.  They will likely only build more comb when what they are currently working on is full.  Remember, they are in hoarding mode, not "let's invest in more comb" mode. 

[Terri Yaki]

I've been wondering...the inspector is scheduled to come out on Wednesday and look at my hives. From the pictures I sent him, he thinks it looks like it's due to mites. I don't think that there are enough bees in there to steal enough for a mite check. Should I just treat with Formic Pro? If it's mites, the longer they're left unchecked, the worse it will get. When I checked them about a month ago, we only got one mite out of the colony.

[The15thMember]

I wouldn't do anything until he gets here, and certainly not FormicPro, since you are going to want to go through the colony without all that formic vapor to breathe in.  If the colony is weak, the FormicPro could also just take them all out, and that kind of seems like a waste to me.  If it is mites, a couple of days won't make any difference at this point.