Bait for AH & Wasp
The preferred Bait used by the NBU is Trappit which can be used all year. It is expensive £22-00 a liter at Amason. although maybe cheaper elsewhere cheaper elsewhere.
What bait should I use to attract Asian Hornets?
Now we have our traps installed, there have been some inquiries about the appropriate bait to use to
attract the Asian Hornet. The information below is extracted from the NBU website www.nationalbeeunit.com
Spring – Sweet baits are highly attractive to capture foraging Asian hornet queens in early spring.
This is because queens emerging from hibernation have a raised energy requirement and show a
preference for sweet foods. There are many variations of effective sugar baits, these include mixes
of sugar and various types of dark beer or alcohol and even fruit juice baits for example apple juice.
French beekeepers advise mixtures of dark beer, 25ml of strawberry dessert sauce and 25ml of
orange liqueur are effective.
Commercial baits are also effective. Past incursions of Asian Hornets in England have been
discovered feeding on windfall and ripe fruit which can also be used as bait.
Summer – During the summer at the height of the beekeeping season, predatory worker hornets seek
high-protein foods to feed the larvae. To make a protein bait, raw meat or fish with water can be used.
The National Bee Unit use a protein bait of mashed fish e.g., prawns or trout, diluted to 25% in water.
Be aware, if you choose to use a protein bait it will need changing after 3 days due to decay and an
unpleasant aroma.
Proprietary brands of hornet (wasp) trap bait from many garden centers, DIY stores, and beekeeping
suppliers can also be used, some of which have a tested and proven efficacy to attract Asian hornets.
Autumn – No guidance was on the NBU website for autumn but according to other information
online, they also favour protein in the autumn.
This method of making your liquid bait go that little bit further has been tested on the South Downs and in France.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCe_3DVD8
Methods of Luring the Asian Hornet or Wasp