Giant hornets nest close: experts warn of falling nests!

Giant hornets nest close: experts warn of falling nests!

There is reason for concern in autumnal Cologne, as the Asian hornet is increasingly making headlines. A recent report from Merkur describes an extraordinary hornet's nest with a diameter of around one meter that was discovered in Zoersel, Belgium. This nest can produce up to 500 new queens, which could have alarming effects on local wildlife. In autumn, as biologist Tim Adriaens explains, such nests often fall out of the trees after growing unnoticed over the summer months.

The Asian hornet, which has been in Europe since 2004, has spread rapidly after arriving in southern Europe on pottery from Shanghai. Since then it has reached not only France, but also neighboring countries such as Hungary and Slovakia. These aggressive insects have a devastating impact on agriculture and beekeeping as they specifically prey on honey and wild bees, endangering pollination and thus biodiversity.

The threat to beekeepers and biodiversity

The Asian hornet represents a serious problem for beekeepers. Cities such as Mannheim, Heidelberg and Saarbrücken are currently affected by hornet attacks that are severely decimating bee colonies. In France, there are reports that the hornet is responsible for 20 to 50 percent of honey bee deaths. Although healthy people are generally not at acute risk - it would take at least 500 to 1,000 stings to seriously harm a healthy adult - the poison is particularly worrying for allergy sufferers.

There are measures to combat this invasive species, but they are often not sufficient. The EU introduced a regulation on invasive alien species in 2014, which requires measures to control the spread but has so far failed to provide a sustainable solution. In France, for example, plans have been put in place to combat invasive species, but the growth of the hornet population continues unabated despite these measures.

Guidelines for dealing with hornet nests

Experts recommend remaining calm when discovering a hornet's nest. A photo of the discovery should be taken and submitted via a reporting portal. Unauthorized removal is dangerous and should be left to the responsible environmental authorities.

Although the Asian hornet produces significant quantities of pests every year - around 11 kilograms of insects are eaten per colony - the habitat of this species in Europe is constantly growing. The first nests have already been spotted in Saxony-Anhalt, raising concerns about further spread. A team of researchers is working on a new trapping system that will use pheromones to combat hornets more effectively. However, the hornet's habitat proves to be too large for complete eradication, so focus should be on reducing the population to minimize the impact on agriculture and biodiversity.

Cologne and the surrounding regions are well advised to keep an eye on developments. The spread of the Asian hornet could not only endanger the existence of native bee populations, but also have a significant impact on nature in general.