>>One would think that would fewer honey bees, the yellowjacket and hornet population would increase.

I see yellow jackets picking up dead or dysfunctional honey bees and larvae discarded in front of my hives on a regular basis.  Especially, in the second half of the summer when yellow jacket colonies are strongest.  This tells me that apiaries and feral colonies supply yellow jackets with substantial amounts of food for their larvae.  I have always seen numerous yellow jacket colonies where honey bees are kept.  It's not a plague by no means.

Waldemar
LI, NY

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