Hi Val
Now is the time to put
out those traps to catch the Asiatic hornet queens before they establish new
nests.
Apart from being
dangerous to humans if stung, Asiatic hornets are decimating bee colonies and
as you know bees are important pollinators for fruit crops.
I attach a simple design
to make your own hornet trap. In fact it is not necessary to drill the 7 mm hole in
the cap of the bottle, just leave it off. The other 5.5 mm holes are
to let smaller insects escape but are also not absolutely necessary as you will
also trap queen wasps as well as European hornet queens. You don’t need the top
cover if you hang it where rain won’t go in and it is best to fix the two parts
together with some wire, screws or nails pushed through so you can dismantle it
now and again to clear out all the drowned hornets.
I found that white wine
with cassis, topped up with water works fine but add some beer if you have it.
Good hunting!
Malc says: I quite like a white wine with cassis (kir) or the odd beer, but I haven't caught any wasps yet - is it because I drink them?
