The Asian hornet follows the waterways
Faced with this phenomenon which could harm apiaries and honey production, there is no other choice than to destroy the species. “With the support of the Gembloux Agricultural Research Center, we benefit from training and adequate equipment to intervenecontinues the beekeeper. You need a reinforced suit and additional facial protection, because the Asian hornet can launch venom. In the fall, the nests are more visible and it is important to intervene. Ideally it would be to trap the queens in early spring so they don’t colonize new nests, but these are hard to find.”
You should know that the Asian hornet follows waterways because it constantly needs water. In the event of a hornet’s nest in his garden, the beekeeper reminds you of the actions to take. “It is essential to call on a professionalhe emphasizes. In the event of an injection, you must go to a doctor very quickly to get an adrenaline injection. Once the nest is powdered, the hornets fall but can still sting for a while. We must therefore be careful, because according to studies, 8% of the population risks death in the event of a bite.”
Impossible to eradicate
André Jusseret is the provincial president of beekeepers in the province of Luxembourg. The man confirms the proliferation of Asian hornet nests in several places in the province in recent times. “For my part, I see a lot of them near Arlon,” he says. The Asian hornet is colonizing all of Belgium. A nest of Asian hornets is between 3,000 and 5,000 individuals. and the queens are much more numerous than in other species The nests therefore develop more We will have to live with it, because eradicating the species is impossible. “Beekeepers must take steps to protect themselves, otherwise they will stop like many in Hainaut. We rely heavily on citizens to report any nests they may find. They can call their local authority, a beekeeper or a pest control agent.”
