Fighting wasps on apiaries

A wasp trap is one of the best ways to control these pests in your apiary when used along with destroying a wasp nest. Strong bee families do not need human intervention and are able to fight off wasps themselves, however, weak hives cannot do this, especially if they have a wide entrance. If the beekeeper does not take any additional means of protection, the pests will not only rob the weak colony, but also destroy it.

What harm do wasps do to bees

The presence of wasps in the apiary does not lead to anything good – a peaceful neighborhood between bees and these aggressive insects is impossible for the following reasons:

1. Wasps rob bees with almost impunity in the autumn months, when the activity of the latter decreases under the influence of low temperatures. Of particular danger at this time are the hornets, which easily make their way inside the hive due to their large size and strength. After such raids, the bees are left without food and may die in winter.
2. Wasps are carriers of many infectious diseases. Climbing into the hive or contacting individual bees in the apiary, they are able to infect the entire family.
3. During the nesting period, wasps steal bee larvae and catch the bees themselves in the apiary and beyond, paralyze the caught individuals and take them to their nests. There they lay their eggs in them and later use them as food for their offspring.

In addition, wasps often sting people while extracting honey.

How to protect bees from wasps

You can save bees from ruin by wasps using both active methods of struggle and passive ones:

1. Choosing a place for apiary. It depends on the location of the hives how much earthen varieties of wasps will pester the bees. It is recommended to place the apiary in areas with thick grass, without open clay wastelands and ravines – these are the places the wasps choose for their holes.
2. Restricting access to the hive. First, you need to close up all the cracks in the hive with a mixture of sawdust and PVA glue. Secondly, in the cold months, when the activity of the bees decreases, the entrance to the hive is narrowed. At the same time, a small hole is left through which the bees can climb, but the wasp cannot pass through.
3. Placement of baits and traps. They are made in large quantities and placed throughout the site, updating from time to time.
4. Destruction of a hornet’s nest.

How to get rid of wasps in the apiary

It is necessary to deal with wasps in the apiary in a complex way, combining various methods of protecting bees with the active destruction of pests. The main measures for the prevention and control of pests are carried out in early spring and autumn, in September.

Measures to combat wasps in the spring

The fight against wasps begins in the spring. The first thing to do when the snow melts is to carefully inspect the apiary and the surrounding areas, observing the movement of the wasps. The easiest way to get rid of them is before they have time to breed, and for this you need to find a nest and destroy it in advance. In addition, killing a female hornet family at this time of the year will lead to the death of the entire family – there will be no one to feed the young.

How to deal with wasps in the apiary in autumn

In August and September, the second stage of confrontation with wasps in the apiary begins. At this time, to combat them, traps are set up and the soil is dug up in and around the site. Of course, it is impossible to dig up all the adjacent wastelands, however, you should pay attention to the following places:

• sandy “bald spots”;
• soil with a high content of clay;
• ravines.

Timely plowing of these areas helps to minimize the number of earthen wasps in the spring, which dig their holes, especially in sand and loose surfaces.

How to protect the hive from wasps

The fight against these insects includes blocking access for them to the inside of the hive. To do this, it is necessary to seal all the cracks of the bee dwelling with the help of a variety of adhesive compounds and putty.

Putty based on petroleum bitumen and clay, which can be made independently, is quite popular:

1. Water, clay and oil bitumen are taken in equal quantities.
2. Water is poured into a metal bowl and clay is added to it.
3. The resulting mixture is thoroughly stirred until a homogeneous mass is formed. In this case, the solution is constantly heated over low heat.
4. Oil bitumen is heated in a separate container.
5. Then the substance is diluted with clay and mixed again, after which the putty is ready for use.

Putty close the cracks in the corners and the lower area of ​​the hive. After 2-3 hours, it forms a dense crust through which the wasps cannot break through.

Wasp traps

The following types of wasp traps can be distinguished:

1. Glue traps that are placed on the roof of the hive. The basis of the trap is a fermented bait that attracts wasps. Insects that have flocked to the bait stick to the sticky surface and can no longer take off.
2. Traps made of plastic or glass bottlesj. The volume is unimportant. Juices, beer and kvass are used to fill the trap. The action of the trap is based on the fact that it is difficult for insects that have got inside to find a way out in the form of a narrow neck.
3. Traps made of glass jars and funnels. The principle of operation is approximately the same as that of bottle traps.
4. meat bait. About 150-200 g of meat must be hung out near the apiary and treated with a solution of chlorophos. Bees are not attracted to meat, but wasps flock to it quickly. A bucket of water is placed under the bait. Individuals paralyzed by chlorophos will fall down and subsequently die in the water.

How to make your own wasp trap

Most often, traps made from plastic bottles are used in the fight against wasps. The manufacturing process is as follows:

1. Cut off the narrow part of the bottle, about 10-12 cm.
2. The cut part is placed inside the bottle, with the narrow end down. So, it will be difficult for the wasps that got inside to get out.
3. 1/3 of the container is filled with bait: wine vinegar, fermented compote, beer, kvass, mash, after which the trap is set near the hive.
4. The wasps that fly inside begin to sink in the liquid. As the bottle fills, it is cleaned, more bait is added, if necessary, and returned to its original place.

Instead of bottles, you can use a glass liter jar to fight wasps. A trap is made from it according to the following scheme:

1. A plastic funnel is installed in the jar and secured with a rubber ring.
2. About 30 g of sour fruit juice is poured into the jar, after which it is placed on its side on the roof of the hive. You can also put it on the ground.
3. After 3-4 days, the pests that have fallen into the jar are poured with water. Then the dead insects are removed, and the contents of the trap are updated and the jar is returned to its original place.

How to find a hornet’s nest

It is recommended to inspect the area where the apiary is located and the immediate surroundings for the presence of wasp nests in the spring – it is easier to fight pests at the very beginning of the settlement, when they have not yet had time to multiply. These insects settle almost everywhere, potential shelters include:

• attics;
• abandoned buildings;
• gaps between buildings;
• awnings;
• tree hollows;
• recesses in the ground (for some types of wasps).

The hornet’s nest looks like a spherical cocoon of a grayish hue. You can find it in the following ways:

1. Catch one individual, after putting on protective clothing and a mask, and attach a red thread to it. On this thread, they observe where the insect returns.
2. The method is similar to the first, but there is no need to catch an insect. In the evening it is necessary to choose one wasp and carefully follow its path to the nest, while not approaching too close to the individual.
3. Early in the morning, a small piece of meat or fish, sprinkled with a handful of sugar, is placed in the apiary. The bait will attract the attention of insects, after which they can be traced to the very nest.

Several methods for destroying a hornet’s nest

There are different ways to destroy wasp nests, among which there are both humane and radical ones:

1. Treatment with a strong odor. For this, kerosene, engine oil or gasoline are suitable, which are poured over the nest. But they leave the exit open so that the wasps can fly away. After 2-3 hours, the wasp family will begin to leave the home.
2. Smoking out with smoke. Not far from the hornet’s nest, you need to build a fire or set fire to rubber. In order to drive the wasps out of the nest, 2-3 treatments may be required, after which the empty nest is manually destroyed – burned or destroyed.
3. Filling with boiled water. This method is best suited for destroying nests located in the ground. Liquid soap is added to the water, the solution is thoroughly stirred and the entrance is poured. Nests located at a height must be removed. Then they are dipped in water for 20-30 minutes. This time is enough to destroy the wasps.
4. Ignition. One of the most radical ways to fight. This method is not suitable for nests attached to residential buildings and garden structures. Dwellings located underground are poured with gasoline and a lit match is thrown into it. After 1-2 minutes, the nest will be destroyed along with the wasps.
5. Filling a hornet’s nest with polyurethane foam. In this way, nests located in the cracks between houses are most often destroyed. The substance blocks access to oxygen in a matter of seconds, which causes the wasps to die soon.
6. Spraying “Dichlorvos”. A dense plastic bag is carefully put on the nest, quickly sprayed and closed, fixing the edges with tape or tying the polyethylene into a knot. After 1-2 days, the package with the nest can be removed, after which the contents are either thrown away from home or burned.

Regardless of the method of destroying the nest, you must take care of your own safety before starting the procedure. Enraged wasps can greatly harm a person, so it is not recommended to approach a wasp dwelling without gloves and clothes made of dense material, as well as a special beekeeper’s mask.

For more information on how to get rid of wasps in the apiary, you can learn from the video below:

Conclusion

A wasp trap allows you to get rid of pests that are located directly on the apiary or not far from it without harm to the bees, but only with the right selection of components. When making a trap, you should use ingredients that only attract wasps, otherwise bees will also fall into them. In addition, the fight against these insects is recommended to be carried out in a comprehensive manner, which implies regular inspection of the site for the presence of wasp nests and their subsequent destruction, preventive measures and the installation of baits.