This document discusses the major enemies of honey bees including hornets, wasps, yellowjackets, ants, beetles, birds and other predators. It provides identification information and photos for the main predatory wasp and hornet species including Vespa mandarinia, V. basalis, V. tropica, V. velutina and Vespula species. Management strategies are outlined for traps, screens and reducing access to hives for wasps and ants. Details are given on the small hive beetle and large hive beetle including identification, lifecycles and control methods such as traps, diatomaceous earth and freezing. Predatory bird species including bee-eaters and honeyguides are

1. ENEMIES OF HONEY BEE (APIS MELLIFERA):
II: Hornets, birds, ants and other enemies
IDENTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT
DR. MANDEEP RATHEE
Training Assistant, KVK, Kaithal
CCS HAU, Hisar

2. • Predatory wasps
I. Hornets
Oriental hornet: Vespa orientalis L.
European hornet: Vespa crabro L.
Greater banded hornet: Vespa tropica (L.)
Lesser banded hornet: Vespa affinis
Black bellied hornet: Vespa basalis Smith
Asian giant hornet: Vespa mandarinia subsp. magnifica (Smith)
Northern giant hornet: Vespa mandarinia Smith
Southern giant hornet: Vespa soror Buysson
Yellow legged hornet hornet: Vespa velutina Lepeletier
(ESA: 25-07-2022) https://www.entsoc.org
Major Enemies of Honey Bee

3. II. Yellowjackets (Black with defined yellow or white markings on their bodies)
Southern yellowjacket: Vespula squamosa (Drury)
German yellowjacket: Vespula germanica (Fab.)
Western yellowjacket: Vespula pensylvanica (de Saussure)
Common yellowjacket: Vespula vulgaris (L.)
Eastern yellowjacket: Vespula maculifrons (Buysson)
Aerial yellowjacket: Dolichovespula arenaria (Fab.)

4. • Ants
Argentine ant: Iridomyrmax humilis Mayr
Weaver ant: Oecophylla smaragdina (Fab.)
Red household ant: Dorylus labiatus Shuckard
Black carpenter ant: Camponotus compressus (Fab.)
Fire ant: Solenopsis spp., Monomorium spp.
• Bee louse
Bee louse: Braula coeca Nitzsch
• Hive beetles
Small hive beetle: Aethina tumida Murray
Large hive beetle: Oplostomus fuligineus (Olivier)

5. • Birds
 Bee eaters
Green bee eater: Merops orientalis Latham
European bee eater: Merops apiaster L.
Blue-throated bee-eater: Merops viridis L.
Blue-bearded bee-eater: Nyctyornis athertoni Jardine & Selby
Blue-cheeked bee-eater: Merops persicus Pallas
Chestnut-headed bee-eater: Merops leschenaulti Vieillot
Blue-tailed bee-eater: Merops philippinus L.
Summer tanager: Piranga rubra L.

6. • Birds
Honey guides
Greater throated honey guide: Indicator indicator Sparrman
Scaly throated honey guide: Indicator variegatus R. Lesson
 Other enemy birds
Drongo/ king crow: Dicrurus macrocercus Vieillot
Easter king bird/Tyrants: Tyrannus tyrannus (L.)
Green woodpecker: Picus viridis L.
Great spotted or variegated woodpecker: Dendrocopos major (L.)
Common great tit: Parus major subsp. major L.
Blue tit: Parus caeruleus L.
• Other enemies
Black bear, rats, lizards, frogs, racoons, skunks, etc.

7. Oriental hornet
Vespa orientalis
Hornets

8. European giant hornet
Vespa crabro

9. Greater banded hornet
Vespa tropica
Identification of Major Wasp Species Attacking Honey Bees

10. Lesser banded hornet
Vespa affinis

11. Black bellied wasp
Vespa basalis

12. Asian giant hornet
Vespa mandarinia subsp. magnifica

13. Northern giant hornet
Vespa mandarinia

14. Southern giant hornet
Vespa soror

15. Yellow legged hornet
Vespa velutina

16. Identification of Major Wasp Species Attacking Honey Bees
Spices Size/ colour Seriousness Nest
Vespa mandarinia Largest, dark brown, hairy and has a robust
look. Head bright orange, rear part of thorax
has two eye spot like marking has strong
mandibles
5-7 wasps can finish the
colony within one hour
In the hollows of tree
trunks
Vespa basalis Brown coloured head, abdomen black with
medium sized hair
7-8 wasps attack a colony
collectively, also feed on just
dead bees.
Papery nest on top of
the tree
Vespa tropica It has a yellow brood band on the abdomen. Fast flier and catches the
foraging bees
Nests in the ground
Vespa velutina Rust red and hairy, medium sized Sits on the alighting board to
catch the bee and flies away,
very notorious wasp
Papery nest atop the
tree
Vespa orientalis Deep brown with yellow bands and brown
spot on abdomen, yellow frons, smaller sized
Plain species, less serious Nests hidden in walls
or trees

17. Vespula squamosa Vespula germanica
Vespula pensylvanica
Yellowjackets

18. Vespula maculifrons
Vespula vulgaris
Vespula pensylvanica

19. Vespula germanica attacking A. mellifera hive

20. Vespula vulgaris attacking A. mellifera worker

21. Extent of damage
• Vespa velutina may kill 718 bees in 4 hours duration during the peak
attack
• Vespa mandarinia may cause a strong colony to an unproductive stage
in 3 hours
• A loss of 20-25 % of bee colonies in the apiaries has been estimated
• Apiaries near the foot hills >in hills

22. Management options for reducing the damage to honeybee colonies
• Most bees and wasps are highly beneficial as predators of
pest insects or as pollinators
• Locate nests of wasps and destroy them
• Bait /trap the wasps in the apiaries. Various traps have
been designed for wasps
– Killing the wasps with broom attracted on sugar or gur
bags sprayed with water
• Killing of queens coming out of hibernation during spring
has also been suggested
• Eliminating alighting board and reducing hive entrance
• Flapping the visitor wasps at the hive entrance or
foraging in and around the apiary
• Use of screen and bee wasp protectors

23.  Bottle trap
 Plastic bucket trap
 Jug trap
 Merrill trap
 Rescue! W.H.Y. Trap
 U.K. hornet monitoring
trap
Wasp Traps

24. Flapping the visitor wasps at the hive entrance

25. WASPAWAY: Wasp deterrent device

26. Reducing access of wasps to hives

27. Anti-wasp screen

28. Anti-wasp screens

30. Hive gate

31. • Ants are not usually serious pests
• Occasionally, may enter colonies in search
of food or establishing nesting sites
• Ants are typically found between the
inner and outer covers of the hive and in
pollen traps
• Persistent attacks by ants sometimes may
induce absconding in honey bee colonies
• Even though majority of the ants’ species
seldom disturb the bees, but can be a
nuisance to the beekeeper
• May take way feed, larvae and dead
adults
• Invade hives frequently in monsoon
season and lay eggs as well
ANTS

32. Argentine ants
Iridomyrmax humilis Mayr
Weaver ant
Oecophylla smaragdina (Fab.)

33. Red household ant
Dorylus labiatus Shuckard
Indian black carpenter ant
Camponotus compressus (Fab.)

34. Compact ant
Camponotus planatus
Roger
Black carpenter ant
Camponotus pennsylvanicus
(De Geer)
Brown capentar ant
Camponotus rufoglaucus
(Jerdon)

35. Red imported fire ant
Solenopsis invicta Buren
Tropical fire ant
Solenopsis geminata (Fab.)

36. Pharaoh ant
Monomorium pharaonis (L.)
Singapore/destryoer ant
Monomorium destructor
(Jerdon)
Little black ant
Monomorium indicum Forel

37. • Use propolis to fill cracks and crevices
• Maintain strong colonies
• Keep bottom boards raised off the ground
• Place the colony on stand with oil or sticky barrier
• Create a slippery barrier by using AntCant and Tree Tanglefoot
• Alternatively, put legs of the stand in broad earthen bowls full of water (ant wells) to
check entry of ants into the hive
• Use carbon disulphide fumigation (2-4 tsp.) or 0.2% chlorpyriphos to destroy
underground nests of ants
• Colonies capable of defending by fanning should be selected and used as breeder
colonies for mass rearing of queen bees
• Brush away if few ants are invading the colony
• Repellents e.g. sulphur powder, borax powder, sodium fluoride can be used against ants
• Spread diatomaceous earth or cinnamon around your hives
Control

38. Ant Proof hive feet
Ant Proof hive stand
Ant Proof feets Ant Proof
stciky products

39. • Major pest in USA, Australia, Europe and Africa
• Adults are oblong in shape
• Around 5-7 mm long
• Body coloration: tan to reddish-brown, dark brown
or black
• Head and antennae tucked down beneath the thorax
• A single female beetle can produce over 1000 eggs in
her lifetime, in clusters of 10–30 eggs
• Eggs are similar in shape to those of honey bees, but
2/3 the size
• Larvae are elongated, cream-colored to slightly
golden grubs (10-12 mm)
• Larvae prey upon A. mellifera honey, pollen, and
even brood
• Severe infestation makes honey slimy and defecated
and colony may abscond
Small hive beetle: Aethina tumida Murray
Honey contaminated by beetle larvae
Beetles on the comb

40. Small hive beetle eggs oviposited in clutches in a honey bee colony
Small hive beetle larvae

41. Small hive beetle
A. early pupal stage
B. late pupal stage
C. adult ready to emerge from pupation chamber
D. adult on honey bee comb

43. • Common pest in sub- Saharan Africa
• Adults are broader and oblong in shape
• Around 20-23 mm long
• Body coloration: black with orange antennal tips
• Eggs are oval white (2 to 3 mm)
• Mature larvae are white with orange heads and pearly
abdomen (10-12 mm)
• Larvae preferentially feed on young honey bee larvae
• Larvae prey upon A. mellifera honey, pollen, and even
brood
• Heavily infested honey bee colonies can have 700 or more
adult beetles
• Severe infestation makes honey slimy and defecated and
colony may abscond
Large hive beetle: Oplostomus fuligineus (Olivier)
Beetles on the comb

45. a Frame before damage v/s b Frame after damage showing uncapped cells
c Frame before damage v/s d Frame showing damage to uncapped honey cells
e Beetle feeding on brood deep inside and f Feeding on brood on comb surface
Ayuka et al. (2013)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s
13592-012-0149-6

46. Management
• Maintain strong colonies
• Control mites and other stresses
• Remove burr comb
• Keep the apiary clean
• Eliminating eggs or hatchling sources such as cow dung & leaf litter
• Seal cracks & crevices
• Clean bottom board
• Remove extra honey and pollen frames
• Place diatomaceous earth, and/or slaked lime around the hives
• Diatomaceous earth tested in traps killed 100% of beetles tested
through dehydration (Cribb et al., 2013)
• Honey supers can be frozen at -12°C for 24 hours to kill all stages of
beetles
• Bacillus thuringiensis and EPNs like Steinernema riobrave and
Heterorhabditis indica
• Use of beetle traps

47. Beetle traps
1. West Beetle Trap
2. Freeman Trap
3. Bucket traps
4. Bottom bar box traps
5. Baited flight traps
6. Pitfall traps: Beetle Barn plastic trap, Beetle Blaster, AJ’s Beetle
Eater, and Beetle Jail Jr. Traps
7. Fabric entanglement traps: Beetle Bee-Gone

48. West Beetle Trap
• The West Beetle Trap is placed on the
bottom board, and requires a wooden
shim to maintain proper space beneath
the frames
• It contains a shallow pool of oil, and is
covered by a slatted screen that excludes
bees
• Adult beetles enter the trap from above,
to escape from bees, and fall into the oil
and drown
• Hives must be kept extremely level for
these traps to be effective
• These traps preclude the use of screen
bottom boards for ventilation.

49. Freeman beetle Trap
• The Freeman Beetle Trap is similar to
the West Trap in function
• It replaces the bottom board with a 3 mm
(1/8”) screen mesh, as used for varroa
control
• An oil-filled tray is inserted into a
compartment below the screen
• Adult beetles enter the trap to escape
from bees, and fall into the oil and drown
• Wandering beetle larvae may also fall into
the trap as they attempt to exit the hive to
pupate
• These traps can passively eliminate some
varroa mites as well
• Hives must be kept level for these traps
to work.

50. Beetle Barn Plastic Trap
Placed on top of frames, with
small entrances that only
allow beetle entry
Beetle bait recipe:
•1 cup of water
•1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
•1/4 cup of sugar
• Peel of 1 ripe banana- chopped
into small pieces

51. AJ’s Beetle Eater
AJ’s Beetle Eater
• Sits between the top bars
of the frames
• Must open hive to install
and remove
• Relies on oil reservoir to
kill SHB

52. Beetle Blaster Trap

53. Beetle guard for large hive beetle

54. BIRDS

55. Birds Associated with Honey Bees
European bee eater
Merops apiaster
Green bee eater
M. orientalis

56. Blue-bearded bee-eater
Nyctyornis athertoni
Blue-throated bee-eater
Merops viridis

57. Chestnut-headed bee-eater
Merops leschenaultia
Blue-cheeked bee-eater
Merops persicus
Blue-tailed bee-eater
Merops philippinus

58. Honey guides
 This is the second major bird
group of predators of honey bee
which comprises 11 species
under 4 genera
 Among them, 9 species are found
in Africa and 2 species in Asia of
which one is found in Nagaland
and Manipur while other is
found in Thailand, Burma,
Sumatra and Malaya
 They exhibit guiding behaviour
and symbiotic relationship with
mammals. They prefer bee’s wax
to honey or honey bee larvae
Greater throated honey guide
Indicator indicator
Scaly throated honey guide
Indicator variegatus
Honey guides

59. Drongo/ King crow
Dicrurus macrocercus
Easter king bird/Tyrant
Tyrannus tyrannus
Other enemy birds

60. Green woodpecker
Picus viridis
Great spotted woodpecker
Dendrocopos major

61. Common great tit
Parus major subsp. major Blue tit
Parus caeruleus
Summer tanager
Piranga rubra

62. Bee eaters
 Bee eater birds belongs to the family Meropidae
 A bee eater attacks or catches the flying bees, devouring them by
beating against perch
 Their breeding season is from February to June
 They form nests in the form of tunnels in earth mound or sandy
cuttings. Eggs are 4-9 in number, white, oval to roundish oval with
an average size of 19.3-26.2 x 17.3-21.9 mm
 The predation rate of small green bee eater on A. mellifera
foragers on an average is 708 ± 111.2 foragers/ day are eaten per
bird
 Predation was normally maximum between 1000 to 1300 h
whereas it was minimum between 1600-1900 hr.

63. Management
i) Scaring
 Use of sound in high pitch with different notes
 Beating the drums and empty tins
 Throwing pieces of stones/ pebbles through Gulel or
manually
 Use of sulphur- potash mixture
 Hanging 2-3 dead bee eaters at 5 m height
 Producing distress call/ voice of injured bee eater by
recording audio cassette and played on the amplifier

64. Management
ii) Reflective tapes
 Reflective tapes of different colours (1m x 3.5 cm) fixed on
string at a distance of 20-30 cm at a height 5 m on two
poles/ stems
iii) Keep bee hives under thick canopy of trees
iv) Restrict flight activity of bees by
 Provision of water near apiary
v) Destroy nesting sites of bee eating birds

65. Other enemies

66. THANK
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