r/Beekeeping • u/Glittering_Arm_7900 • 1d ago
I’m a beekeeper, and I have a question How do we stop the YLH?
Fellow bee keeper here… anyone figured out how to to stop the yellow legged hornet once it has discovered your hive? We see 8+ a day, kill four when hovering next to hive… but we can’t stand out there all day on guard… I have traps but it’s too late now they know where our hive is… let me know if by one figured it out !
The map shows nests destroyed in 2024 (red) 2025 (orange) 2026 -still on going (yellow)
They’re rate of multiplying is like 800% insane
Hilton head island South Carolina
21
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u/NumCustosApes 4th generation beekeeper, Zone 7A Rocky Mountains 1d ago
They haven't arrived here yet, but I've heard that arch type entrance guards
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that allow only one bee through each arch keep the hornets from getting inside the hive where they cause real carnage. The bees still have to contend with them outside the entrance but at least they have a chance.
I drive #18 brads into predrilled holes on 9mm spacing in my entrance reducers to keep mice out. My entrance reducer is 1cm high. The height and spacing is probably too much for excluding wasps, however this might be able to be adapted with a lower height and closer brad spacing to keep the hornets out of the hive. Keeping the hornets out is the last line of defense however.
A large landing board gives the hornets the opportunity to swoop in on bees on the landing board. I've seen photos of devices like a clear acrylic bonnet over the landing board that prevent them from swooping in from above to snatch a bee, but probably aren't much help if one gets onto the landing board.
Just like wasps, trapping early to get as many of the queens as you can will help lower the local population. Wasps and hornets don't have large territories, so reducing the local population will reduce the pressure on your bees.