Several southern giant hornets usually present in Southeast Asia, in a tropical climate, were observed for the first time in Spain, a first in Europe. Researchers fear they threaten the ecosystem.
After the Asian hornets, another species of hornets seen for the first time in Europe. Southern giant hornets, usually present in Southeast Asia, were seen for the first time on the Old Continent, in this case in Spain, reveals a study published in the scientific journal Ecology and Evolution dated last November.
Four specimens of southern giant hornets, from their Latin name Wasp's sister du Buysson, were collected by scientists in the Asturias region, northwest of Spain, between March 2022 and October 2023, according to the study.
Yellow, brown and black in color, these hornets usually live in a tropical climate, in certain regions of India, China and Vietnam. They generally measure between 25 and 35 mm, but can measure up to 46 mm for the founding queens, according to the National Inventory of Natural Heritage (INPN). Its large nests are buried underground or hidden in cavities.
“Concern” of scientists
The authors of the study express their “concern about the potential threat of V. soror to human health and ecosystem dynamics”.
Specifically, scientists are concerned that the Vespa soror is an “aggressive predator that preys on invertebrates of various sizes, including butterflies, dragonflies, mantises and grasshoppers, as well as other wasps and even small vertebrates like geckos.
“It has been reported that V. sister attacked the hives of the domestic bee in groups Apis cerana Fabricius1793, leading to the destruction of hives and causing considerable losses to the beekeeping industry,” the study also notes.
-Five species of hornets under surveillance
For scientists, “the arrival of this species (in Europe) is probably linked to its clandestine transport from one of the countries where it originated”.
“Its presence, although still rare, is at a critical point for its eradication and management through the implementation of a rapid response plan in the areas where its nests are located,” worry the scientists .
The latter assure that “monitoring activities” will be “strengthened in the “coming years” in the Asturias region in order to observe the evolution of the species and its “potential spread”.
According to the INPN, this is the fifth species of hornet after the two-colored hornet, Vespa bicolor, introduced in 2013 in Spain, the giant hornet, Vespa mandariniapresent in the United States, the oriental hornet, Vespa orientalisand the Asian yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina.
If you spot a specimen of this species yourself, you can report it to the INPN website, indicating the location of its discovery.
