Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[rakeman]

We're concerned that our new colony of bees in a TBH is under attack from wasps. This evening, bees were blocking two of the entrance holes (one is blocked of with a wooden bung), and there seemed much agitation in the hive. In a brief moment a bee came through the wall of 'guards' clasping a wasp which it forced down onto the ground. I helped the wasp 'on its way' but even as darkness fell, the holes were still being manned (or beed) as though anticipating further invasion, or more to our concern, to assist with the eviction of more wasps. Is there anything we can do to deter wasps or do we have to leave this to 'nature' and let the bees sort it out? I was told by a none bee-keeper that a glass or perspex plate placed over the entrance holes, with just enough space between the two for bees to get in and out, will deter wasps as they tend to try to fly straight into the holes and are not, quote, 'bright enough to go under, over or to the sides of the glass'. Any comments welcomed as we are new to bee-caring and look forward to our colony thriving and surviving.

[trekmate]

First, get a cork in one of the open entrances.
Second, get half a cork in the other open entrance.
If there is still a problem, remove the half cork and replace with a three-quarter cork.
The smaller the entrance (allowing one bee to enter OR leave the hive) the easier it will be to defend.
Glass in front of the entrance can work in the short term, but wasps aren't daft. They will learn the way around.

For the future, you could consider a periscope entrance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izVkg-w7aZM Don't worry about the Varroa bit, it's an easily defended entrance.

[rakeman]

Thank you for that advice. The bees seem extra active this morning and almost back to normal though they are sounding 'angrier'. I understand bees can handle wasps. Hopefully they're dealing with the invader/s. I'll try the corks anyway.

[rakeman]

Corking the entrance holes seems to cause 'stacking' and bees held up getting in and out. Perhaps that's just bees when they're busy. Does seem to be a sense of urgency with the colony this morning. I've removed the corks.