Wasps

[shropshire mole 190]

According to the papers, this year is expected to be a bumper year for wasps, which would be nice.

 

Are wasps appearing in your work yet?

[myersbg 1,385]

Had a few calls, but all turned out to be Mason bees, to early yet for wasps, but i did see a few queens earlier on.

I hope its as good this year as it was for me last.

 

Brian

[Ratmanwan 66]

Not done any yet, but a mates been called out for two no bigger than a tennis ball.

Hope its a better year, the last two have been dismal.

[mole trapper 1,703]

Seen lots of queens recently, won't get too excited though till the phone starts ringing.

If the weather us good end of next week the first bee swarms will be needing collecting.

Hopefully nothing will happen now though before 5th June as I'm in France.

[DIDO.1 22,856]

Iv been getting 1 call a day for bees, most have been honey bees nests, hardly any bumble bees yet, iv convinced a few to leave em but most in bad spots in wall cavities and getting into properties so some had to go. Sad but good they have been in better numbers.

 

Seen loads of Queens, one was just starting on a nest yesterday...I knocked the nest down and sent her on her way :-)

[DIDO.1 22,856]

Queen wasps that is

[comanche 3,219]

One tiny wasp's nest a few days ago but now the bumble calls have started . Which -like DIDO 1- I won't touch without a very good reason even when the customer tries the " Its not me ,its the wife that's worried," or" We have the painters coming in two weeks and they'll want them gone". My usual line in the last instance is "Well let the bees do their stuff for another couple of weeks and call me when the scaffolding is up". Never ,ever, had a call back so either the painters were not bothered, someone else dealt with them or ,I suspect ,the customer was trying a fast one on me .

First bee swarm this afternoon.

[moxy 617]

No wasps yet. Seen the odd queen. No swarming yet but still keeping busy.

 

[tomburras 2,730]

Had a few calls, but all turned out to be Mason bees, to early yet for wasps, but i did see a few queens earlier on.

I hope its as good this year as it was for me last.

 

Brian

Hi out of curiosity are you asked to remove mason bees?

[nod 285]

No point removing masonry bees they are only there a short period of time, have done one starter wasp nest. Got swarm to collect tomorrow if it's still there

[tomburras 2,730]

No point removing masonry bees they are only there a short period of time, have done one starter wasp nest. Got swarm to collect tomorrow if it's still there

Great I love masonary bees I got some nesting in paper tubes again this year.

[shropshire mole 190]

 

Had a few calls, but all turned out to be Mason bees, to early yet for wasps, but i did see a few queens earlier on.

I hope its as good this year as it was for me last.

 

Brian

Hi out of curiosity are you asked to remove mason bees?

 

Best to leave masonary bees alone, they will not hurt you, spray treatments to walls nesting sites largley ineffective. Best action would be to re point failing mortar joints after the best have departed. Keep all bees safe where possible

[Mr Muddy 141]

Had call one for wasps so far, which turned out to be honey bees. Apparently I was the 2^nd person they called - the 1^st bloke sprayed dust on them for £40 and then refused to come back when the bees were still alive.
I was perfectly honest with the lady; told her I didn’t know enough about honey bees to do a proper job and walked away (all she really wanted was another £40 dusting, which I refused to do).

 

I would like to learn how to professionally deal with bees that are pests though; removing honey comb, catching swarms, etc. Are there any courses I could go on? Books I could read?

[tomburras 2,730]

 

 

 

Had a few calls, but all turned out to be Mason bees, to early yet for wasps, but i did see a few queens earlier on.

I hope its as good this year as it was for me last.

 

Brian

Hi out of curiosity are you asked to remove mason bees?

Best to leave masonary bees alone, they will not hurt you, spray treatments to walls nesting sites largley ineffective. Best action would be to re point failing mortar joints after the best have departed. Keep all bees safe where possible

I couldent agree more - I been making mason bee boxs and tubes for last few years and started boxs for others too. You can't beat a beer in front of the boxs and watch them at work!

[jackg 7]

Had call one for wasps so far, which turned out to be honey bees. Apparently I was the 2^nd person they called - the 1^st bloke sprayed dust on them for £40 and then refused to come back when the bees were still alive.

I was perfectly honest with the lady; told her I didn’t know enough about honey bees to do a proper job and walked away (all she really wanted was another £40 dusting, which I refused to do).

 

I would like to learn how to professionally deal with bees that are pests though; removing honey comb, catching swarms, etc. Are there any courses I could go on? Books I could read?

 

Your local beekeepers association would advise. BBKA local branch.

It is very hard to remove an established nest of honey bees, destruction is the usual method.

A swarm can be collected by a beekeeper.

You have to seal the entrances following the application of Ficam D to prevent the dead nest being robbed of the honey by other honey bees which then take the Ficam D back to their hive and kills the lot. And you may get sued by the beekeeper for loss. Natural England may prosecute as well.

The last bees nest I destroyed was in a hole in a tree 15 feet up.

The tree was dead and had to be felled, so the bees had to go first.

Ficam D then returned 1.1/2 hours later to apply expanding foam.

The half life of Ficam D is not that long.

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2015 by jackg