Spring reopens balconies, garages, attics, vases on the terrace and those small corners of the house that remain almost invisible during the winter. Right there, while you regain confidence with the mild air and the unfinished business, an Asian hornet queen may have already found its refuge. The problem all arises from this discretion: the first nest is tiny, remains low, uses sheltered positions and can easily pass by any detail.
In Italy the species has been present for years and is monitored by a national network also coordinated by CREA; today the presence is consolidated above all in Liguria and Tuscany, with reports or findings also in Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, Veneto, Puglia and Sardinia. Furthermore, Vespa velutina is one of the invasive alien species of EU importance.
Between eaves, pergolas, sheds and windowsills
Between February and May the queens come out of their winter shelters, feed themselves and look for the right spot from which to start a new colony. In this phase the primary nests often appear on human artefacts: windowsills, terraces, under canopies, in pergolas, along roof overhangs. This is why the first useful inspection always starts from above, with your eyes turned towards the eaves, beams and ceilings of the small outbuildings of the house. The Italian reports of recent years confirm this seasonal pattern, with the first sightings already in March and the first primary nests identified at the end of the month.
The most insidious point remains the tool shed, because such a place offers quiet, cover and very little disturbance. Even a simple joint between a beam and the roof can suffice. The same goes for verandas, sub-balconies, external canopies and those roofing edges that are rarely seen from the ground. The useful rule is simple: when a specimen makes repeated comings and goings towards the same point, that point deserves attention. The queen is almost always working on a colony start. In rarer cases, the primary nest can also appear in natural shelters: in 2025, in Tuscany, a foundress was even located inside a rocky crack.
The signs that should be seen immediately
At first the nest has an unassuming, almost harmless appearance, a small papery structure that may look like a grayish ball attached to a sheltered surface. It is precisely this modesty that makes him elusive. In summer the picture changes: the colony grows, the secondary nest often moves to higher and less accessible positions, sometimes above five metres, and intercepting it becomes much more difficult. For this reason, spring remains the most useful window to notice the presence of the Asian hornet when the problem is still just beginning.
Another useful element concerns the recognition of the insect. Vespa velutina shows a very dark livery, a yellow-orange band on the abdomen and above all the ends of the yellow legs, a detail that has earned it the common name of yellow-legged hornet. Furthermore, in Italy, confusion is growing due to the presence of Vespa orientalis, a native species of the South and now expanding to other areas of the peninsula. Looking carefully at the color of the body and legs helps to avoid false alarms.
If you find a nest, prudence is worth more than improvisation
In front of a nest, even a small one, a clear line is needed: distance, calm, signaling. The indications released by the StopVelutina network explain that nests must always be reported and that do-it-yourself exposes you to a real risk, because near the nest these insects become aggressive and the poison can also cause anaphylactic shock.
For primary nurseries, the operational advice remains to contact the competent authorities, the Fire Brigade or local intervention teams; for secondary nests this route becomes even more important. In many Italian areas the reporting goes through regional representatives, beekeepers’ associations or the dedicated StopVelutina form. The Asian hornet works early, in silence, and at first occupies spaces that seem too common to attract attention. That’s exactly where we should look now.
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