Since it arrived in Italy, the Asian hornet has not stopped causing problems. It is dangerous for bees, puts beekeepers in crisis, and its impact on biodiversity is increasingly evident. The problem? Often, in trying to chase it away, we do worse.
Yet, you just need to know how to behave to reduce risks and also help nature.
Never swat an Asian hornet
It goes through everyone’s mind: the insect arrives, it approaches threateningly, and the first thing that comes naturally is to crush it. But in the case of the Asian hornet, it’s the worst thing to do.
When it is killed, it releases pheromones into the air that act as an alarm signal to the rest of the colony. Result? You may find yourself surrounded by other specimens ready to attack.
It’s no better with homemade traps. Plastic bottles, beer, sugar: they seem like ingenious solutions but they are harmful. They trap some hornets, but also many useful insects, such as bees, hoverflies, butterflies, even ladybugs. So you risk doing more damage to biodiversity than anything else.
Another mistake to avoid is trying to destroy a nest yourself. The hornets defend their colony with extreme violence, and the risk of being attacked is real. Don’t improvise as an exterminator: in some cases, it can even become life-threatening.
Have you seen a nest? Call the professionals and report everything
If you happen to spot an Asian hornet or, even worse, a nest, the first thing to do is stay away. Then call a company specialized in extermination or the fire brigade, especially if the nest is located in a public area or near sensitive places, such as schools or hospitals.
Plus, you can do something really useful: report the sighting on stopvelutina.itthe official Italian portal for the monitoring and management of the Asian hornet. The site is managed by experts and is part of a network involving universities, beekeepers, local authorities and citizens.
Thanks to reports, experts can map the spread and intervene more effectively. Every contribution, even small, is fundamental.
The portal also provides practical information on how to behave, how to place spring traps in a safe and environmentally friendly way, and how to recognize the species with certainty.
How to recognize the Asian hornet
It often happens that the Asian hornet is confused with the European one, which is much larger but does not pose a threat to bees. Recognizing them is important to avoid incorrect interventions.
Here are visual cues to keep in mind:
Comparing these characteristics carefully is essential to correctly report the species and to avoid wrong reactions.
A real threat to bees and to the balance of ecosystems
The Asian hornet has been present in Italy since at least 2012, and today it is widespread in many regions of the North and Central, with a worrying tendency to expand towards the South.
A single nest can host thousands of specimens, and each of them is capable of hunting dozens of bees every day. For beekeepers it’s a disaster: fewer bees means less pollination, less honey, less balance for plants and flowers.
Precisely for this reason it is important to act in a coordinated manner. Reporting, not improvising, relying on experts and getting information through serious sources like stopvelutina.it can really make the difference.
Don’t want to miss our news?
You might also be interested in:
