Asian hornet nest discovered in Gloucestershire

Hive the size of a large pumpkin found at top of 17-metre tree

 

Shehab Khan

Wednesday 5 October 2016

A giant Asian hornets' nest has been found in a tree in Gloucestershire, prompting concern from Government experts about the species' threat to bee populations. 

National Bee Unit

The hive, which was located at the top of a 17-metre tree and is the size of a large pumpkin, has now been destroyed.

The Asian hornet is smaller than bees native to the UK and they pose a risk to honey bees. 

Steps are being taken to locate, destroy and remove any nests that are found and experts have been deployed across the area. 

Nicola Spence, Defra Deputy Director for Plant and Bee Health, said the bees pose no greater risk to human health than those already present in the UK.

“We have been anticipating the arrival of the Asian hornet for some years and are implementing our well-established protocol to eradicate them and control their spread,” Ms Spence said.

“It is important to remember they pose no greater risk to human health than a bee, though we recognise the damage they can cause to honey bee colonies. That’s why we are taking swift and robust action to identify and destroy any nests.

 “We remain vigilant across the country, working closely with the National Bee Unit and their nationwide network of bee inspectors.”

It comes after sightings of the Asian hornet in Somerset. 

Tim Lovett, of the British Beekeepers Association, said the evidence suggests the invasion started a while ago. 

Read more  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/giant-asian-hornet-nest-gloucestershire-bees-a7344701.html

Winchester woman finds 3ft wasp nest on bed

27 August 2014 Last updated at 14:44

The wasps had chewed through the pillows and the mattress of the bed in order to make their nest larger

A pest controller said he took on "the biggest job of his career" when he was called to deal with a nest of more than 5,000 wasps.

John Birkett, of Longwood Services Pest Control, said removing the 3ft (91cm) nest from a bed in Winchester was his most unusual job in 45 years.

He said it would have been "extremely dangerous" if the homeowner had tried to remove it herself.

"I just stood back in amazement," Mr Birkett said.

The nest was discovered by a woman at her house in St Cross, in an unused spare room, where a small window had been left open.

Continued ...

Ants Ring Woman's Doorbell Repeatedly

Alyssa Danigelis, Discovery News

Date: 31 May 2013 Time: 03:50 PM ET

An elderly woman in Germany who heard her doorbell rung repeatedly late at night naturally called the cops. Although it seemed like the work of a prankster, officers uncovered a much smaller culprit: ants.

Police in Offenburg responded when the 75-year-old woman made a desperate call at 3 a.m. on Wednesday, the German news magazine Focus reported. But when they arrived, officers didn’t find anyone at the door. On closer inspection they found that ants had built such a large nest that it was pressing the doorbell components together to make it ring.

Although the brief news report didn’t identify the type of ant that caused the disturbance, the Guardian’s Patrick Barkham floated a couple of theories. Pharaoh ants or monomorium pharaonis in Northern Europe are attracted to electrical currents and have been known to swarm in Germany. Another suspect might be the Asian super ant lasius neglectus, which are fatally drawn to electrical currents and notably invaded a historic British manor several years ago.

Continued: http://www.livescience.com/37051-ants-ring-womans-doorbell-repeatedly.html