Asian hornets are no longer an entomological curiosity: they are a real plague for beekeepers and European ecosystems. Having arrived in France in the early 2000s, these bee predators have now also spread to Italy since 2012, endangering the survival of entire hives.
Among the various containment attempts, one seems to have found the right formula: an ecological trap for Asian hornets designed by Swiss beekeepers, which focuses entirely on selectivity and environmental respect. It’s called Good4Bees, and more than a product, it is the result of years of field experiments, far from laboratories and close to those who really know bees.
An ecological trap for Asian hornets
No complex gears, no technicalities. Good4Bees was born from a simple idea: blocking the queens of Vespa velutina before they can found new colonies, while avoiding capturing other insects. The structure is small, light and transparent, but above all intelligent. Inside, a natural bait – developed according to the guidelines of CABI, an international research center – slowly spreads a smell that attracts wasps, but leaves bees, butterflies and bumblebees alone.
Two cotton swabs gradually release the scent, while a 360-degree airflow amplifies the recall. Once inside, the queens end up in a small retractable cone from which they can no longer escape. Simple, clean and, above all, selective. No pesticides. And for those who fear coming face to face with a live wasp, a cooling spray is enough to put the insects to sleep before emptying the container. A practical gesture, which avoids unnecessary suffering and keeps the ecological cycle under control.
Collaboration, science and common sense
The real novelty of this trap is not only in the design, but in the data collection method. Each device has a QR code that allows you to report catches online. The information is then analyzed by a Swiss scientific committee, which monitors the spread of Asian hornets in real time. It is a way to unite beekeepers, local authorities and researchers, transforming a small plastic object into a tool for participatory environmental surveillance.
Experts reiterate: the right time to act is before summer, when the founding queens look for protein food. Hitting them at this stage means avoiding the birth of thousands of new wasps. And no, sweet baits like beer or honey are not a solution: they attract everything from bees to butterflies. Better is a specifically designed call, like that of Good4Bees, which respects the logic of natural selectivity.
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