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Asian hornet threatens biodiversity: experts warn of damage!
Robert Paxton is researching the Asian hornet at the University of Halle-Wittenberg, which is becoming increasingly problematic in Germany.
Asian hornet threatens biodiversity: experts warn of damage!
They always cause a stir: Asian hornets (Vespa velutina) have increasingly appeared in Germany in recent years. As the FAZ reported, this invasive species was recently spotted for the first time in Schleswig-Holstein. The Asian hornet has been widespread in West Germany for a long time and is now classified as “established”. This means that sightings no longer need to be reported, and the authorities' capacity to combat them is limited. If you discover a nest, it is better to call on experts because the nests are often at dangerous heights.
The Asian hornet feeds primarily on honey bees and can significantly affect their food intake. A problem that also poses challenges for beekeepers, as damage can occur in beekeeping. According to Dr. Manfred Verhaagh, entomologist at the Karlsruhe Natural History Museum, believes that this species has hardly any natural enemies and can therefore reproduce unhindered. Pollinators such as honey bees are at great risk, which can cause the entire pollinator system to falter, which further threatens biodiversity in Germany ZDF highlighted.
The threat of invasive species
There are around 900 established neobiota species in nature in Germany, which accounts for around 1% of the total species population. Of particular concern is the increase in invasive species caused by global trade and transport. The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation shows that up to 42 animal and 46 plant species are on the EU list of invasive species. This also includes the Asian hornet, which, since its first sighting in Germany in 2014, has gained a foothold, especially in the southwest, as far as North Rhine-Westphalia.
A big problem is that invasive species like the Asian hornet often have no natural enemies in new habitats. This means that they can spread unstoppably. Their competitors for food, especially other insects and bee colonies, are endangered. For example, in France, where similar problems are already known, a negative impact on the pollination of ivy flowers has been demonstrated.
Caution is advised
A hornet sting is no more dangerous to humans than that of a honey bee, but it can still cause allergic reactions. Hornets have the ability to sting multiple times, unlike bees which lose their stinger. They are not known to be aggressive, but they defend their nests fiercely and often move them to tall trees. The attraction of sugar sources and sweet fruits makes it not easy to keep them away from your property.
The Asian hornet is an example of the challenges that invasive species pose to native nature. It is up to us to find ways to live with these species while ensuring the protection of our biodiversity. This is a learning process that we as a society will have to address even more in the future.