Building your own trap
There are many different types of traps that can be made from items you probably have lying around. One of the most common is a bottle trap, although that is most effective in Spring. We'll describe a better trap that is similar to the JABPRODE trap but simpler. We use queen excluder to allow bycatch to escape - the gap in the excluder is usually less than 5mm.
Equipment needed
- Tools: sharp knife, scissors and drill or Dremel
- Sealable plastic storage container - transparent makes it easier to examine what has been caught.
- Plastic queen excluder
- 2 cones with the size of opening 8.5 to 9mm (preferably yellow coloured) - you can use ordinary cones or 3D print cones designed for the purpose.
- Adhesive strips or metal wire or glue gun to stick everything together
- Lure liquid in a wick pot or soaked in a sponge as described here.
Method
- Cut an opening of approximately 8 x 8cm on each side of the storage container.
- Cut two pieces of approximately 8.5 x 8.5cm from the queen excluder, i.e. slightly larger than the holes in the container.
- Cut a round opening in each piece of the queen excluder. The size of the opening must match the bottom diameter of the cone.
- Glue or otherwise attach the bottom of the cone to the piece of queen excluder.
- Repeat step 4 for the other piece of queen excluder.
- Glue or otherwise attach the queen excluder piece to the inside of the box, with the point of the cone facing inwards.
- Repeat step 6 for the other side of the storage container.
Using the trap
Place the wick pot or sponge in the bottom of the container and seal the top with the lid. Place the trap in an appropriate location near the hives. Remember to check the trap regularly to ensure that bycatch is minimised.
If you think you have seen an Asian Hornet, report it to Biodiversity Ireland's invasive species page. It's better to report something that turns out to be innocuous rather than miss the chance of reporting a real threat.
If you think you have seen an Asian Hornet, report it to Biodiversity Ireland's invasive species page. It's better to report something that turns out to be innocuous rather than miss the chance of reporting a real threat.