for the arrival of Asian Hornets in Cumbria
On 7 & 8 June, Cumbrian beekeepers made in-roads in a double-pronged effort to raise awareness and improve preparedness for the arrival of the Asian Hornet, also called the Yellow-Legged Hornet, in our beautiful and geographically challenging county.
These efforts involved the collaboration of beekeepers from various branches in Cumbria Beekeepers Area Association (CBKAA) and included raising public awareness and aiding local branches to be better prepared. Admittedly, much still needs to be done on both fronts.
With respect to raising public awareness, Norman English of Penrith BKA had offered the pitch of a market stall at Kirkby Stephen. The attached photo shows Rob McGarvie and El Mason (from Keswick and Cockermouth BKAs) spreading the word, ably assisted by bees provided by Penrith BKA Apiary!
There was plenty of public interest both at Kirkby Stephen market on the Saturday, and again on Sunday at a farm open day in Embleton. Pleasingly, there was a good level of public awareness reported at Embleton.
Meanwhile, several beekeepers who have volunteered to be Asian Hornet monitors, verifiers or coordinators, representing Carlisle, Cockermouth, Kendal, Penrith and Whitehaven BKAs, met near the Penrith apiary at Greystoke Village Hall. The photographs show our beekeepers assembling some open monitoring traps, which trap Asian Hornets but allow native pollinators to escape. In the short time together, we assembled 80 monitoring traps. [This was possible thanks to the preparatory work completed by Margaret Riches (Penrith BKA) and Martin Hoggard (Kendal BKA)].
Also, Julia and Martin Hoggard from Kendal & South Westmorland BKA were delivering an introductory beekeeping course at Greystoke Village Hall. They invited Clare Woowat, County Asian Hornet Coordinator, to say a few words to help raise awareness of the Yellow-Legged Hornet and show the new beekeepers the monitoring traps that we had been assembling.
There are 10 monitoring traps for each Cumbrian BKA and these will be distributed to the Asian Hornet Coordinator for each branch and be available for deploying should the Asian Hornet be suspected in Cumbria.
If you would like to be involved, please contact our County Asian Hornet Coordinator, Clare Woowat (Cockermouth BKA).