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The images shown above are not from the Channel Islands, not from Kent but from right here in Dorset. They show the Yellow Legged Hornet near a bait trap in the Osmington area.

I was fortunate enough to spend the afternoon with DEFRA inspecting traps and this is just some of what we saw. This is a worrying situation. These are either workers out looking for food or fertilised queens looking for somewhere to spend the winter.

If the nest is found and destroyed in the next few days we may be OK. If the nest is not found then we could have a serious problem. The gynes - future queens - in the nest will all go there separate ways to find somewhere to hibernate. Each of the hibernating queens could emerge in the spring and create a new nest then a new colony. A single nest could produce 350 gynes. Of those not all will be successfully fertilised and not all will survive the winter but one survival is too many.

As we did the inspection I was reminded that this is the same area that the Black Death arrived in the UK. Hopefully the Yellow Legged Hornet will not affect the bee population as Black Death affected humans.

It is up to us to keep on top of this problem. We must all be on the lookout for Yellow Legged Hornets from now until the weather gets cold and then again in the Spring as soon as it starts to warm up.

At the moment the situation is being handled by DEFRA and they do not require any further help. There is a risk that were more of us were to put out bait stations then the Yellow Legged Hornet would have so many choices it might not return to the one that DEFRA are using for "Track and Trace". They do not need any more eyes on the ground - we know it is there. If they do require any assistance then they will let me know and I will be in touch.

Yes this Saturday - the 11th is the day of the Dorset Beekeepers Convention at the Dorford Centre in Dorchester - and if you don't know it then it is right opposite the vehicle entrance to the Top of Town car park. There are still tickets available so get them while you can.Just follow this link here.

Also today I have added hive stands to the For Sale page. They are free courtesy of Nick Knight.

Two bits of news to let you know that are almost here:

Yellow Legged Hornet :Yes that is almost here - no I lie - it is here. In the last fortnight two Asian Hornets, whoops! I meant Yellow Legged Hornet, have been found in the Osmington Mills area. DEFRA are handling the sightings and have made it very clear that they do not require any help from local beekeepers apart from keeping eyes on traps and hives - something we do already I hope. I have not received an update for several days but I know that some of those involved in the sightings will be at the Convention on Saturday.

Convention: Yes the convention is almost upon us. It has taken a lot of setting up by Dorset Beekeepers and we are hoping for a good turn out on Saturday. Tickets have been selling steadily and personally I am looking forward to hearing from a variety of excellent speakers as well as meeting up with other beekeepers from across the county and beyond.
If you have not bought your ticket yet then there is still time. Just follow this link here.