In Delta, honeybees contribute millions of dollars to the economy each year but now some beekeepers are reporting massive losses due to wasp attacks -as much as 75 per cent have been wiped out. Other reasons the bee populations are reduced is mites, viruses and pesticides. But the main culprit remains yellow jacket wasps. Wasps have been a major problem all over the place as wasps numbers were high last spring and as late summer rolled around, they would attack honey bee colonies, carrying off both the honey bees and honey. Beekeepers can protect their honey bees from yellowjackets with good beekeeping practices such as keeping strong colonies, reducing hive entrances (2½ cm – 5 cm), installing robbing screens (the screens let the bees for the colony go in and out, but makes it easier for them to protect the hives from attackers like wasps), and maintaining a tidy beehive.
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