GUIDE ON EMPTYING YOUR TRAPS
The Gard’Apis trap has been carefully designed to eliminate the problem of bycatch, i.e. the only species caught are the Asian Hornet. Extensive tests have shown the bycatch rate to be as little as 0.1%.
The size of the trap is such that it will simply fit into the drawer of a domestic freezer. To kill the entire contents of the trap simply leave in the freezer for 2 hours.
In the unlikely event there is a bycatch then the trap should be placed in the freezer until all the insects stop moving, no more than 3 minutes maximum, when the insects will be rendered torpid and immobile. The trap may then be opened and emptied onto a suitable surface and the Asian hornets tipped into a typical container for return to the freezer. Any bycatch may be placed in an appropriate place to warm up and go on their way!
The trap may be re-assembled and rebaited – it is worth keeping a couple of Asian hornets back to place in the trap to recover as they will act as an effective bait in their own right.
Note – if there is no bycatch in the trap then it can be left in the freezer for a couple of hours – or overnight if brought back in the evening and then emptied and placed back in location.
The trap may be carefully carried by the clip (preferably after dusk) and for security (particularly if moving it a distance) placed in a suitable carrier bag. Asian hornets do not fly at night and therefore the trap will not attract more once darkness falls.