Wasps

[Krustybee]

Looking for some advice on what to do with European wasps that are hanging around the front my hives. The hives are all strong hives so all I've done at the moment is reduce the entrance but is there anything else I can do? I spent a bit of time watching and haven't witnessed any entering the hive yet.

[danno]

buy or build robber screens

[rawfind]

Looking for some advice on what to do with European wasps that are hanging around the front my hives. The hives are all strong hives so all I've done at the moment is reduce the entrance but is there anything else I can do? I spent a bit of time watching and haven't witnessed any entering the hive yet.

Noticed the same thing happening here, they rekon if you have a lot of wasps that their nest is within 100 meters , search and destroy!!
Im on just under 5 acres and the tractors not working so my grass is long, i wont find them until i cut it

[Krustybee]

Still searching for the wasp nest, if i can't find it I might have to move my hives as I am not sure what else to do.  :'(

[rawfind]

Still searching for the wasp nest, if i can't find it I might have to move my hives as I am not sure what else to do.  :'(

Had our annual termite inspection today, pest control guy rekons to find a wasp nest just put out a peice of meat and wait for them to come then just walk in the direction they are flying to the meat, dont know if it works but i will try it

[Krustybee]

Yeah sounds like a good idea, the only problem is there are 4 hives next to each other so there is quite a bit of traffic coming and going to the hives which is why I am having trouble finding which direction they are coming from, so I will try some meat and see how that goes.

[Lone]

Danno, what are robber screens, please?

Lone

[danno]

Danno, what are robber screens, please?

Lone

a robber screen gives the colony full ventilation and a large entrance but a very small entrance to guard.   I know that doesn't make sense so let me try to explain how I make mine.   
materials
2 pc- 1/2" X 1" X 4" pc of pine
1 pc-  1/2" X 1/4" X about 14" pine
fasten the 14 " pc to the FACE of the 4" pcs to form a u shape
now staple 1/8 mesh wire over the face of the U
turn the U upside down and screw it over the entrance leaving a small opening of about 3/4 on one side.   This 3/4 opening now become the main entrance but colony bee's very quickly learn that the whole top 14" has a opening and they start using it.  any robbers will land on the bottom board
(where the hive smell is) but will only be able to use the small 3/4 opening on the end.   The colony can usually defend that small of a opening
   

[Geoff]

   The meat or other bait just away from the hives works well. Had that trouble last year. Just watching the flight path I managed to find 4 nests in the bank of the pondage and were quickly exterminated with Ant and Wasp Powder. A good shot down the entrance creates pandamonium and a lot of dead wasps immediately. Advice given was to suit up but simply do the job and back off a few metres and watch. Have hardly seen a wasp this year.

[rawfind]

   The meat or other bait just away from the hives works well. Had that trouble last year. Just watching the flight path I managed to find 4 nests in the bank of the pondage and were quickly exterminated with Ant and Wasp Powder. A good shot down the entrance creates pandamonium and a lot of dead wasps immediately. Advice given was to suit up but simply do the job and back off a few metres and watch. Have hardly seen a wasp this year.

Just a tip on the meat, tried it today with 2 pieces of meat when i got back to the first piece of meat i caught a crow taking off with the meat!  (i think he was squawking thanks mate)   so i ran down to the remaining piece and placed a bit of wire mesh over it.

[Pete]

Wasps will travel in a straight line from the meat bait to their nest. Follow the line as they leave and you will find em.