Wasps and Hornets

Hornets and wasps hunt forager bees in front of the hive, especially in late summer and autumn, and break into weak colonies to rob honey and brood. In Türkiye the biggest problem is usually the Oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis); in some regions it can cause colonies to collapse. A strong colony, a narrow entrance, a clean apiary and regular monitoring are the most effective defence.

Know the species

Effective control starts with knowing which species you are dealing with.

If you see a hornet that has not been seen in your area before, especially one resembling Vespa velutina, photograph it and report it to the official veterinary service / local agriculture authority. Early detection of invasive species is the only way to slow their spread.

How the damage occurs

• Direct predation: Forager bees are caught on the landing board or in the air. Losses peak in late summer, when hornet and wasp nests are at their most populous.
• Foraging paralysis: If there is a constant threat in front of the hive, the bees cluster at the entrance and do not go out to forage. The intake of nectar and pollen stops and winter stores remain insufficient.
• Entering the hive and robbing: Hornets or wasps enter a colony whose defence has weakened and carry off honey, brood and bees. At this stage the colony can collapse within a few days.
• Weakening before winter: Forager losses and stress coincide with the period when winter bees are reared; the colony goes into winter weak.

Measures in the apiary

1. Keep colonies strong. Unite or strengthen weak colonies and nuclei before late summer; hornets target weak hives first.
2. Reduce the entrance. In late summer and autumn, narrow the entrance to a width the guard bees can defend. On hot days, provide ventilation elsewhere in the hive.
3. Use an entrance guard. Grilles or short tunnel-shaped entrances that let bees through but not hornets reduce robbing; they do not completely prevent hawking in the air.
4. Keep the apiary clean. Spilled honey, syrup, extraction residues and combs left exposed attract hornets and wasps. Feed syrup in the late afternoon, inside the hive and without spilling.
5. Check the surroundings of the apiary. Rotting fruit and open rubbish draw hornets and wasps to the area.
6. Watch the front of the hive. In small apiaries, catching hornets hunting in front of the hive with a hand net or a racket is laborious but a useful supporting method.

Traps: use them carefully and selectively

Bait traps are a common method but they are not selective; they also catch native insects, bumblebees and butterflies.

• Spring queen trapping is controversial: it has not been shown that catching the queens that found the nests significantly reduces hornet numbers in late summer.
• Late-summer traps should be used only in apiaries under heavy pressure, placed a little away from the hives and emptied often.
• Do not use honey as bait: it lures honey bees into the trap as well, and disease can be spread through honey.
• Prefer trap designs with a small entrance hole from which honey bees can escape.

Dealing with nests

Do not tackle a hornet nest on your own; mass stinging is a serious, even life-threatening danger. Especially for nests that are high up, inside walls or in built-up areas, ask for help from the municipality, the fire brigade or an authorised pest control team.

Short calendar

• Spring: Watch for queens looking for nest sites and for new nests around the apiary; close up empty hives.
• Midsummer: Identify weak colonies and plan uniting; keep the apiary clean.
• Late summer – autumn: Reduce entrances, fit guards and watch the front of the hives regularly; use selective traps if necessary.
• First cold spells: Hornet activity declines; check the colony's winter stores and strength.