Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[Melcbee]

I visited my two top bar hives today. One does not currently have a laying queen and no worker brood but many uncapped queen cells. The other was more disturbing; upon removal of the lid numerous angry wasps flew at me which took me a minute to identify as not my bees. My last inspection was around 18 days ago and I have no idea how long the intruders have been in there. They are not in the first hive at the moment, the hives are stood together. I was unnerved and didn't open the top bars as I have no experience of wasps and how they behave. Is this hive doomed? Are the wasps likely to enter the other hive too? Any advice gratefully received as to what action I can take. I thought wasp attacks usually came in the Autumn.

[Barbara]

Hi

I think you will probably find that there is a wasps nest built in the roof and the wasps are not actually in the hive itself. You will need to remove it though as it will make inspections difficult. I would get a small cardboard box (shoe box size) and go on an evening with your bee keeping gear on and remove the nest from the lid, place it in the box and move it to a more appropriate location.... somewhere that they have shelter from the wet.
It may take a few days for the wasps to re-orientate to their new location, so be prepared for there to be wasps hanging about for a little while.

Be aware that wasps are much more defensive of their nest than bees, so make sure you have appropriate protection before you move the nest.

Good luck with it

Barbara

[trekmate]

I would only add that if you see wasps trying to enter either hive, reduce the entrance size to give your bees less area to protect.

[catchercradle]

Interestingly, I removed a wasps nest from the roof of one of my hives only a couple of weeks ago.

[ingo50]

You could also try Phil's telescope entrance to confuse the wasps and allow a larger group of bees to defend the hive inside the periscope. if your entrance holes are at the bottom, you would have to plug these and drill new holes near the top and then fit the periscope.

[AugustC]

I am afraid a wasps nest in a pitched roof is not at all uncommon. Like the man said provide all your top bars are in place it is unlikely they are in the hive itself. It is worth reducing the entrance to make it easier for the bees to defend and do NOT feed during the day as it will make them a target. I had a full on wasp invasion of one of my hives a couple of years back and they recovered just fine. Be aware that if the wasps are attempting to enter the hive(s) the bees may be more defensive than usual.

[Melcbee]

Thank you all for our help. Yesterday I inspected the lid (with full suits and a friend) and indeed there was a sizeable nest of what appeared to be German wasps. This has now been removed and I am afraid destroyed as we had no idea where to take it. Later in the evening wasps were gathering again a little beneath the hive but the bars are all together and the hive has a wire mesh floor. I reduced the entrance way to one hole instead of two on both hives. Are wasp traps advisable for outside of the hives now?

[AugustC]

I wouldn't recommend putting wasp traps outside hives and they just end up being a wasp lure.

If you are going to use wasp traps set them up away from the hive.
Be aware that the wasps from that nest may well attempt to rebuild it in the same location.

[Melcbee]

It appears that you may be right. I lifted the lid this afternoon and a number of wasps arose again. They are reluctant to give up their spot it seems.

[ingo50]

They can re-queen from a single survivor.

[AugustC]

You could move the hive a few metres away. Stuff some grass in the entrance and the bees will quite quickly reorient and it will disorient the wasps.

[jumbleoak]

As far as wasp traps are concerned, it doesn't have to be 'yes' or 'no':
- If you already have wasps around the hive, then try a wasp trap
- If it acts as a lure for other wasps from far and wide (which it doesn't, in my experience), then remove it.